Berhampur, Nov 16 (PTI) A court in Odisha's Ganjam district sentenced a man to life imprisonment for killing a police officer about 13 years ago.

The District and Sessions Court, Aska, Judge, PK Choudhury on Wednesday sentenced Sushant Behera of Berhampur to life imprisonment and acquitted Sunil Behera, a co-accused in the case due to lack of evidence.

The court has also issued a warrant against Sameer Panda, another accused in the case, as he did not turn up at the court on the day of judgment, said Trilochan Parida, public prosecutor.

The court pronounced the verdict after examining 22 witnesses and verifying some murder-related documents, he said.

According to the prosecution, the accused persons had shot Manoranjan Mishra, the then officer-in-charge of Sheragada police station on November 26, 2010, on Hinjili-Sheragada road. Mishra was returning on his motorcycle after conducting patrolling on that night.

The accused persons shot dead Mishra after a heated argument with them. He was rushed to the nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead. PTI COR AAM RG