Bhubaneswar: The ADJ court here today sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a married woman at Bhimatangi Housing Board Colony in Bhubaneswar in July 2021. The convict, Jagannath Pradhan of Jajpur district, was found guilty of murdering Priyanka Priyadarshini Sahoo, a married woman and mother of a three-year-old boy.

According to the prosecution, Jagannath had known Priyanka for some time and was in love with her. However, Priyanka, who lived with her husband and son in Bhimatangi, did not reciprocate his feelings.

Jagannath had planned the crime nearly four days in advance. On the morning of the incident, after Priyanka's husband had left for work, Jagannath entered her house carrying a knife and poison. He pressured her to elope with him and marry him. When she refused, an argument broke out between them. During the altercation, Jagannath slit Priyanka's throat with a knife, killing her on the spot. 

After committing the crime, the accused consumed poison and slit his wrist in an attempt to end his life. Before doing so, he sent a WhatsApp message to Priyanka's husband, claiming that he killed her because she ruined his life.

After seeing the message, Priyanka's husband and a relative rushed to the house and broke open the door. They found Priyanka lying in a pool of blood, while Jagannath was unconscious.

Police immediately shifted the accused to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and later to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for treatment. After recovering, he was arrested and produced before a court.

During the investigation, Jagannath confessed to the crime. Police also seized the knife used in the murder and a handwritten note from his possession.

Following the trial, the court convicted Jagannath and sentenced him to life imprisonment for the murder of Priyanka.