The local court in Berhampur acquitted 11 people accused of killing a 25-year-old man at Banthapalli on the outskirts here in 2012. Additional District Judge 3rd Indu Sharna acquitted all the accused due to lack of evidence. The crime had taken place during a marriage reception on February 26, 2012. A group of miscreants came in four motorcycles and fired at Ram Chandra Padhy around 11 pm. Padhy died on the spot while an eight-year-old boy who was standing near him had sustained bullet injuries. The injured boy was the only eyewitness in the case. The rivalry between two groups had led to the firing of the police. The police had arrested 11 people for the murder in phases. The accused were charged under Section 302 murder and other relevant provisions of the IPC. Banamali Pradhan was however in jail. The Supreme Court had directed the district court in January last year to give its judgment within a year while denying his bail plea. Pitabash Panda another defence advocate said that the district court observed that the prosecution had failed to prove their guilt by bringing sufficient evidence and acquitted all the accused.
