A 35-year-old man from Mayurbhanj district was sentenced to life imprisonment on Tuesday for the brutal murder of his wife and two young children by setting them on fire. The incident occurred after Mangal Marndi, a resident of Dhipasahi village in the Jharpokhria police station area, poured petrol on his family and set them ablaze. His wife, Surkuni Marndi (28), and their children, aged two and four, succumbed to the horrific attack.

The Additional Sessions Judge for Mayurbhanj, Satyanarayana Patra, handed down the life sentence and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on Marndi. Failure to pay the penalty will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.

The crime was allegedly triggered by Marndi’s illicit affair with another woman, which led to frequent conflicts with his wife. The tragic incident has left the local community in shock and raised concerns about domestic violence.

Additional Public Prosecutor Krushna Chandra Das confirmed the sentence and noted that the case was a grave example of familial violence. The judgment serves as a stark reminder of the need for stronger measures to prevent domestic abuse.