As many as 17 persons of a village in the district here were sentenced to life imprisonment by the Additional District Judge of Sundargarh on Saturday in a mob attack case in 2012. The court also sentenced penalty of Rs 10,000 each and in case of default, imprisonment for another two years.
On August 11, 2012, a team of five police men from lanjiberna outpost under Rajgangpur police station of the district had gone to Dudukubahal village to arrest a criminal identified as Baldeb Majhi. The police team included Nabin Patel, Assistant Sub Inspector and OIC of lanjiberna police outpost, Bhimsen Tapno, Constable, Surendra Nag and Birendra Sahoo,
Home Guards and Siril Diyali, Gram Rakshi. At about 6 pm, the police team had nabbed Baldeb from his house. Since, their jeep was parked at the entrance of the village they walked with Baldeb to the jeep. While crossing a village club house, Baldeb had screamed for help of the villagers, following which many of the villagers had rushed to the spot and attacked at the police team.
Bhimsen Tappo, Surendra Nag and Siril Diyali had managed to escape from the mob attack where as OIC Nabin Patel and Home Guard Birendra Sahoo faced the public ire. The mob had lynched the two police officials leaving them critically injured. Patel died on the spot where as Birendra lost sense. But, the villagers considered both dead. Putting both the bodies on the police jeep, they had pushed it to Nakati Nala, where the water level was flowing above seven feet then.
Birendra, however, had recovered his sense in the water and could come out of water and reached Rajgangpur police station at about 9 pm and informed about the incident. Patel’s body was recovered from the Nakati Nala the next day.
One the basis of FIR of Birendra Sahoo, Rajgangpur police had lodged a case under various Sections of IPC and arrested as many as 18 persons in this case, including Tulsa Majhi, wife of prime accused Baldeb Majhi.
Tulsa, however, had got bail from the Odisha High Court where as rest 17 had been lodged in Sundargarh Jail. ADJ Sundargarh Dilip Kumar Mishra examined 15 witnesses in th case before passing the verdict. Tulsa was acquitted due to lack of evidence. Those who got the life imprisonment included Baldeb Majhi (28), Siba Nayak (45), Gajadhar Naik (34), Kishor Majhi (25), Raiman Majhi (30), Sunil Minz (20), Kuswa lakra (21), Bhutulu lakra (22), Rathi Minz (36), Jogia Minz (36), Kirungu Minz (32), Nayak Minz (32), laxman Minz (25), Jambua Majhi (38), Upendra lakra (25), Sulindar lakra (26) and Sanjay lakra (20).