Rayagada: The prime accused of the sensational Tikiri lady teacher murder case Netrananda Dandasena died this morning, informed Koraput jailor Gagan Bihari Sahu.
Sahu said that Dandasena died while undergoing treatment at Koraput-based Saheed Laxman Naik, Medical College Hospital. He was admitted to the hospital yesterday after he fell sick.
A contractual government lady teacher of Project U.P. School, Tikiri, was harassed by Netrananda Dandasena, the then S.I. of schools of Kashipur Block who happens to be the ex-Headmaster of the school.
Unable to bear the harassment anymore, the victim lodged written reports against the accused as well as his family members. Apparently no action was taken against the culprits. The victim made representations to various authorities and organizations for her redress.
However, the accused went on harassing her in various ways to back off or withdrawal of the complaints. Later, an unknown culprit entered the room of the victim and threatened her to withdraw the cases against the accused persons on October 27, 2013 at about 9.20 PM.
When she declined, the culprit poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze. The lady teacher was taken to the Tikiri PHC for treatment. The Medical Officer administered preliminary treatments and apprehending her imminent demise, recorded her dying declaration.
The victim was referred to District Headquarters Hospital for specialized treatment. The matter was reported to Police and the Tehsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate, Rayagada also recorded a dying declaration. The deceased was thereafter referred to Seven Hills Hospital at Visakhapatnam where she succumbed to the severe burns on November 1, 2013.
The inaction of the local government officials was highly blamed as media highlighted the issue. The State Government directed the CID (CB) to investigate the case. Accused Netrananda Dandasena was charge sheeted who faced trial in C.T. No. 48 of 2014 on the file of the Sessions Judge, Rayagada.
The Supreme Court, basing on a PIL filed by one Sudeepta Lenka, law graduate from Bangalore, directed further investigation by CBI to apprehend the main accused in the case.
Netrananda Dandasena was held guilty of the offences Under Section 120(B) of the IPC for having conspired to murder the deceased punishable Under Section 302 of the IPC. The trying Judge observed in the judgment that the convict deserves exemplary punishment to serve as a deterrent to potential conspirators and accordingly sentenced him to undergo imprisonment for life on April 26, 2016. Since then, Dandasena was put in the jail.
Kalinga AI