Bhubaneswar, Dec 26 (IANS): A court on Tuesday sentenced a 42-year-old person to life imprisonment for killing an elderly woman in Dharuadihi area of Sundargarh district around six years ago. The convict was identified as Bala Ranjan Kalo of Talasara village in Dharuadihi police limits of the district.

Ranjan, a daily wager, used to stay near the residence of the 75-year-old victim, Fulmati Barik.

“On January 8, 2017, the convict Ranjan and his wife were engaged in a heated argument. When Ranjan’s parents tried to calm him, he brutally attacked them with an iron rod. Ranjan’s father sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, the deceased Fulmati too reached the spot on hearing the noise and berated the convict for his heinous deed,” said In-charge Public Prosecutor, AK Swain.

Swain stated that the convict became angry over Fulmati’s behaviour and harboured a grudge against her.

“When the deceased was engaged in cleaning the road in front of her residence the next morning, Ranjan reached there with an axe and hacked her to death,” Swain added.

Based on the complaint lodged by the deceased's son, the Dharuadihi police lodged a case and arrested Ranjan on the same day. The court after examining the statements of the witnesses and other evidence pronounced the judgment on Tuesday.