Ex Soldier Detained After 13 Years For Throwing Acid

A court in Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, sentenced two people on Monday including a former Indian Army jawan, to 14 years in prison for throwing acid on Pramodini Roul after a 13-year trial. After convicting Santosh Bedanta and Biswajit Dalsinghray, Assistant Sessions Judge (Women's Court) Rasmita Sahoo additionally imposed a fine of Rs 15,000 apiece. The Indian Army discharged Santosh.

After her family turned down his marriage proposal due to her young age, a dismissed Indian Army jawan threw acid on a 17-year-old college student in 2009. Santosh, the prime suspect, was assigned to election duties in Jagatsinghpur. He appears to have had a one-sided love affair with Pramodini while staying at Kanakpur in Tirtol. Santosh, who lived in Jorgadia village in Bhadrak district's Bhandaripokhari police limits, was irritated when Pramodini declined his proposal.

He bought acid with the help of his friend Biswajit. They both approached the victim on a motorcycle and assaulted her with acid before fleeing. Pramodini suffered severe burn injuries as a result of the attack. Her face was damaged, and she lost her vision until an operation was performed in 2017. She was confined to her bed for nearly seven years.

However, Santosh Bedanta and his accomplice came close to getting away with the crime.

Three years after the acid assault, Odisha police terminated the case in 2012, claiming they had not been able to make a breakthrough. Pramodini Roul, on the other hand, would not give up and began gathering evidence on her own, including recording chats with the jawan's associates.

A police team led by then Jagatsinghpur SP JN Pankaj visited Santosh's posting in the Kupwara area of Jammu & Kashmir. By the time police arrived in Kashmir, he had already departed.

Police discovered the accused hiding in Kolkata after nine years and nabbed him. Santosh confessed to his crime and disclosed that Biswajit supported Bedanta in acquiring acid during interrogation. Biswajit was later apprehended in Chamapagada, Nayagarh district.