Man sentenced to death for double murder in Odisha

A court in Odisha Thursday awarded the death sentence to a man accused of double murder in 2011.

The district and sessions judge of Jajpur pronounced the death sentence on Ganeswar Mahanta for killing his widowed aunt Kanchan Mahanta and her father Dukhabandhu Mahanta over a property dispute March 14, 2011.

The accused had hacked both of them to death with a sharp weapon, following a dispute over property in Banagaon Natasahi village in Jajpur district.

Public prosecutor Kishore Kar said it was a heinous crime and falls in the 'rarest of the rare cases' category.

The dispute over the property between Kanchan and Ganeswar had grown bitter after the demise of the former's husband, the investigating officer said.

Ganeswar fled after killing the two but later surrendered before the police.