Odisha: 18 get life term for murder

A local court Wednesday sentenced 18 people to life imprisonment for killing a 40-year-old man, accusing him of being involved in anti-social activities, 12 years ago.

Additional district and sessions judge Sanjay Kumar Sahoo held all the 19 accused persons guilty of killing Maheswar Sasmal on May 12, 2007, in his village Phulta on the outskirts of this south Odisha city.

One of the accused had died during trial and the court pronounced life term for the others, all of them residents of Phulta.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 7,000 on each of the convicts.

In case of realisation of fine amount from the convicts, Rs 1 lakh from it is to be paid to the widow of the deceased, associate public prosecutor Anil Sahu said.