A court here on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to 19 persons in connection with the murder of a resident of Phulta village under Rangeilunda tehsil in Ganjam district in 2007.
Additional District Judge Sanjay Sahu convicted the 19 persons in killing of Sasmal over a financial dispute. Out of the 19 one accused has already died.
The life sentence was pronounced based on the statements by 12 witnesses and evidence.
Though experts consider the court’s verdict as historical with 19 persons being convicted, the counsel of the convicts said they would move a higher court against the judgement given by the ADJ court.
But family members of Sasmal hailed the verdict and said though they had wait for 12 years, justice has been delivered to them. “We are happy with the court’s verdict. Definitely justice has been meted out,” said a family member of Sasmal.