Gangster gets life term for murdering judo coach

The lower court had held the gangster and one of his close associates Akhaya Behera alias Chagala guilty in the high-profile murder case last Monday while fixing Friday as the day to pronounce the sentence. Chagala too has been awarded life term. The court has also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 each on both.

 Coach Das was shot dead by Raja in front of the former’s judo training centre here on April 13, 2008. The motive behind the killing, according to police charge-sheet, was the goon’s one-sided love for album dancer Leslie Tripathy and coach Das’ interference in the matter.
 Reacting to the sentence, the coach’s wife Gitanjali said, she was happy with  verdict. “I was expecting death penalty for him (Raja). Nevertheless, I am happy with the sentence,” she said.