The verdict on the sensational Balughat triple murder case was pronounced by First ADJ, Rourkela SK Swain on Friday afternoon. The court ordered for rigorous imprisonment for life to the culprit taking into account the statements of 17 witnesses and circumstantial evidences.
One Milku Badaik of Jharkhand, who was working as a mason in Rourkela, was staying at Balijodi Basti along with his wife Arati and three-year-old son Adikunja. At night on April 25, 2016, the accused Rakesh Mundari knocked at the door of Milku. When Milku opened the door, Rajesh asked him for water to drink.
While Milku was closing the door after giving water, Rakesh tried to enter into the house. When Milku protested, Rakesh hit the former’s head with an iron rod. As Milku shoutded, his wife Sunita getting up from sleep resisted Rakesah. But Rakesh also hit her head with the rod.
In the meantime, Milku’s son also got up and started crying. But Rakesh did not spare the baby too. When all three members of the family were struggling for life before succumbing to their injuries, Rakesh fled from the spot. Next day, police arrested Rakesh from the backside of the Kali temple at Panposh.
Notably, Rakesh had also earlier been arrested in connection with a murder case in 2014 at Vedvyas here but was released from jail due to insufficient proof on the fateful day of April 25, 2016.