Indian Lecturer Arrested for Gifting Bomb to Newly-Wed Couple, Killing the Groom

The wedding of Soumya and Reema in the city of Bolangir in India’s eastern state of Odisha was solemnized in February this year like any other Indian wedding, except for a surprise gift they received five days after the wedding, which ended their short-lived marital bliss.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Police in India's eastern state of Odisha claim to have cracked the sensational parcel bomb wedding gift case after two months of investigation. The police said that after looking at the many aspects of the case, they zeroed in on Punjilal Meher, a colleague of the groom's mother who has reportedly confessed to have packed a bomb and sent to it the newly-wed couple wishing them a happy married life.

The incident took place on February 23 this year, five days after Soumya and Reema tied the knot. They received a parcel from an unknown sender. When opened, the parcel exploded, killing Soumya on the spot, while Reema and another family member were severely burnt.

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The Odisha police claim to have ascertained that the conspiracy was hatched by Meher, who nurtured a secret grudge against the groom's mother for having replaced him in a promotion. 

"The motive of the crime was jealousy. Soumya's mother Sanjukta was made principal of the Jyoti Bikash College at Bhainsa replacing the accused Meher," IGP Crime Branch Arun Bothra said during a press conference.

Odisha parcel bomb case: Police say lecturer carried out parcel blast, "jealousy" was motive https://t.co/RiWJUYFstG pic.twitter.com/ncbWLNapOn

— NDTV (@ndtv) April 26, 2018

The accused Punjilal Meher was arrested by the Crime Branch on Tuesday. 

Kudos to CID-CB team led by IGP, Crime @arunbothra for bringing glory to Odhisa Police by detection of highly sensational Parcel Bomb case. Indeed a fine piece of meticulous and professional investigation. https://t.co/1CUDvT5Y3N

— DGP, Odisha (@DGPOdisha) April 26, 2018

"The Crime Branch sleuths, in course of their investigation, zeroed in on Punjilal Meher as the mastermind in the parcel gift blast case. They confirmed his complicity during its investigation in Raipur," the police added in their briefing.

Odisha's local television channel, Kalinga TV, tweeted more details of the case.

#BREAKING #WeddingGiftBlast Punjilal Meher had taken train from Kantabanji to Raipur without ticket, had covered his face to escape CCTV in station, he is so cunning that he asked his auto driver to courier the bomb parcel, had offered extra money: Arun Bothra, CB IG #Odisha pic.twitter.com/pjpjhflHYU

— Kalinga TV (@Kalingatv24x7) April 25, 2018

Meher planned and executed the blast with an aim to eliminate the entire family. Meher singlehandedly prepared the parcel bomb. He studied for seven months and took the help of the Internet to prepare the bomb, according to the police.