Kalinga Times Correspondent
Phulbani (Kandhamal), Sept 23: A fast-track court here on Wednesday sentenced five youths to life imprisonment for killing a Pastor during the last year's communal riots in Odisha's Kandhamal district.

Those who were awarded life imprisonment by Judge of the fast-track Court-I S. K. Das were Sabito Digal(30), Mania Pradhan(28), Dharmaraj Pradhan(32), Abinash Pradhan(29) and Papu Pradhan(30).

The Judge also imposed a fine of Rs. 5,000 each on the convicts.

The convicts had killed Pastor Akbar Digal by slitting his throat at Tatamaha village under Raikia police station in Kandhamal district.

The Pastor was killed on August 26 when Christian families and their houses were attacked in the aftermath of the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxamanananda.