In a verdict delivered on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, an Odisha district court sentenced Punjilal Meher to life imprisonment in connection with the gruesome 2018 Patnagarh parcel bomb blast case. The incident, which occurred shortly after a wedding, claimed the lives of two individuals and severely injured another, shocking the state and the nation.
The Additional District Judge (ADJ) court in Patnagarh found Meher guilty under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), as well as relevant provisions of the Explosive Substances Act. In addition to the life sentence, the court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the convict.
The prosecution had argued for the death penalty, describing the crime as "alarming to society" and "executed in a cold and calculated manner." However, the court determined that the case did not meet the criteria for the "rarest of rare" category, leading to the decision of life imprisonment.
The Odisha Crime Branch had apprehended Meher on April 24, 2018, following an investigation that revealed he masterminded the deadly explosion due to a long-standing personal grudge against Sanjukta Sekhar, the mother of the groom, Soumya Sekhar. The tragic incident unfolded on February 23, 2018, just four days after Soumya Sekhar's wedding. A parcel bomb, disguised as a wedding gift, detonated as Soumya and his grandmother, Jemamani, unwrapped it at their residence in Patnagarh. Both Soumya and Jemamani died instantly, while Soumya's wife, Reema Rani, suffered critical injuries but survived.
According to the Crime Branch, Meher, a former principal of Bhainsa College, meticulously planned and executed the attack. He had been removed from his position after Soumya's mother, Sanjukta, joined the college. Driven by a desire for revenge, Meher aimed to eliminate the entire family. The investigation revealed that the parcel bomb was sent inside a gift wrap to Saumya's house and detonated as he opened it in front of his wife and grandmother.
The case captivated the attention of the entire state, becoming one of Odisha's most sensational criminal cases. The meticulous investigation involved piecing together digital evidence, forensic reports, and witness accounts. Items recovered from Meher's possession, including gunpowder, wiring, a partially burned diary, and computer data, played a crucial role in the prosecution's case. It was discovered that Meher had spent months researching explosives online and had purchased chemicals and firecrackers. He also traveled to Raipur to send the bomb via courier under a false identity in an attempt to cover his tracks. The gift box was delivered by a courier from Raipur via Sambalpur and weighed 2.1 kg.
While the victims' family sought the death penalty, deeming it a "rarest of rare" crime, the Additional District and Sessions Judge ultimately decided on life imprisonment. The court's decision brings a sense of closure to the victims' families.
