A wedding and a bomb in gift: Ex-principal gets life term for 2018 Odisha parcel blast that killed groom

Seven years after a parcel bomb killed newlywed Soumyasekhar Sahu and his grandmother in Odisha, a Patnagarh court sentenced ex-principal Punjilal Meher to life imprisonment for plotting the attack out of jealousy and revenge.

Seven years after a parcel bomb disguised as a wedding gift tore through a young couple’s dreams, a local court in Odisha’s Balangir district delivered justice. Punjilal Meher, a former college principal driven by jealousy and revenge, was sentenced to life imprisonment on Wednesday by the Additional District Judge in Patnagarh. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

On February 23, 2018, newlywed software engineer Soumyasekhar Sahu and his wife Reema Rani had just returned home in Bholanathpada after their wedding. A mysterious parcel, supposedly a congratulatory gift, arrived at their doorstep. When Soumyasekhar opened it, a powerful explosion ripped through the room, killing him and his elderly grandmother Jemamani Sahu instantly. Reema, the bride, survived but was left with severe physical injuries and lifelong emotional trauma.

The shocking nature of the attack stunned Patnagarh and sparked a high-profile investigation led by the Odisha Crime Branch. On April 24, 2018, investigators arrested Punjilal Meher, an English lecturer and former principal of Jyoti Vikas College. Meher had been ousted from his position after Soumyasekhar’s mother, Sanjukta, was appointed in his place, a change he reportedly resented deeply.

Investigators revealed that Meher had painstakingly plotted the murder, learning bomb-making techniques online and tracking the parcel’s delivery using his mobile phone. He had travelled to Raipur to post the bomb-laden package to avoid suspicion. Forensic experts later matched his fingerprints on the parcel, sealing his fate.

Evidence recovered from Meher’s home, comprising gunpowder, wires, a burnt diary, and incriminating computer data played a key role in the court proceedings, according to OdishaTV.

The verdict ends a long wait for justice for the Sahu family and brings closure to one of Odisha’s most chilling murder cases in recent memory.