Phulbani: Five youths were today sentenced
to life imprisonment by a local court for killing a pastor
during riots in Orissa's Kandhamal district last year.
Fast Track Court-I judge S K Das awarded life term to
Sabito Digal (30), Mania Pradhan (28), Dharmaraj Pradhan (32),
Abinash Pradhan (29) and Papu Pradhan (30) for the murder of
Akbar Digal, a pastor of a Baptist church at Tatamaha village
under Raikia police station area.
Digal's throat was slit by the youths in presence of his
wife Lodia Digal on August 26, 2008, barely two days after
riots broke out in the aftermath of VHP leader Swami
Laxamananda Saraswati's killing.
The five persons were arrested on an FIR lodged by the
pastor's wife.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 00:29