Fasting convict in Itishree murder case hospitalized

Koraput: A day after the suspended sub-inspector (SI) of schools Netrananda Dandasena was awarded life imprisonment by the district and sessions judge of Rayagada for murdering woman teacher Itishree Pradhan, the convicted official sat on hunger strike at Rayagada jail on Wednesday in protest against the judgment.
As Dandasena's health deteriorated he was shifted to the district headquarters hospital around 5 pm where his condition is stated to be critical.
"He is suffering from hypertension and we are trying to stablilize his blood pressure. He is kept under observation," said Deepak Padhi, the doctor treating Dandasena at the hospital.
Jail officials said Dandasena started his hunger strike at 9am alleging that injustice had been done to him and refused to call off his dharna in spite of repeated appeals.
"Many high-profile people are involved in Itishree's case. I have been made the scapegoat. I demand a fresh probe," Dandasena told mediapersons at the hospital.
Counsel of Dandasena, Bishnu Prasad Panda said, "We will challenge the decision in the upper court as my client was neither involved in the murder nor was there any evidence to prove that he conspired in the crime."
Based on the chargesheet filed by the Crime Branch, the court had pronounced the verdict.
Itishree, a contractual teacher (sikhya sahayak) at the upper primary school at Tikri under Kashipur block in the district was beaten, doused in kerosene and was set afire on the night of October 27, 2013, at the school hostel where she was putting up. With 90% burn injuries she was shifted to a Visakhapatnam hospital where she succumbed to her injuries on November 1.