On Saturday, 8 November, in a shocking security breach inside a court complex, a 31-year-old woman attacked a lady judicial magistrate, a senior public prosecutor and a court police officer with an iron rod at the Jharigaon Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Court in Nabarangpur district of Odisha.
The accused, identified as Sanamati Majhi, an Anganwadi worker from Karsahandi village, had concealed the weapon inside a plastic bag before entering the premises.
The injured have been identified as JMFC Smita Lakra (32), Senior Assistant Public Prosecutor Pradeep Kumar Pattnaik (60) and Court Assistant Sub-Inspector Minaketan Gantayat (59).
According to the complaint lodged by Pattnaik, the attack unfolded after he stepped into the Bar room following the examination of a witness.
Majhi approached him and struck him on the head with the iron rod without warning, inflicting a severe bleeding injury. Hearing the commotion, Magistrate Lakra, ASI Gantayat and other court staff rushed to rescue the bleeding prosecutor.
The accused then turned her aggression on the rescuers, striking Lakra on the forehead and fracturing her middle finger, and injuring Gantayat’s forehead with a blunt-force blow.
Court staff and security personnel eventually overpowered Majhi and seized the rod. Pattnaik required multiple stitches for his head wound.
Woman Attacks Lady Judge, Prosecutor & Inspector With Iron Rod In Odisha’s Court Premises https://t.co/d6fPAVKmkN
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) November 7, 2026
Investigators suspect that growing frustration over delays in judicial proceedings may have driven the violent outburst. Sources indicated that Majhi had a dowry harassment case pending before the Jharigaon court since January 2026, with her testimony recorded on 2 November.
Upset over supposed slow progress in her case, woman attacked judicial magistrate and prosecutor at Jharigaon court in Odisha
She reportedly visited the complex to discuss the matter with the prosecutor and may have been upset over the slow progress of the case. In his complaint, Pattnaik alleged that the woman had come prepared with the intention to kill and disrupt judicial proceedings.
Nabarangpur Superintendent of Police Kashyap Parth Jagdish confirmed that a case was registered based on Pattnaik’s FIR and that the accused was arrested. She was remanded to judicial custody after her bail plea was rejected, and security at the JMFC Court has been tightened.
Inspector-in-Charge Rachita Madkami is investigating the incident, and police are scanning CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events.
The attack has raised serious concerns over the safety of judicial officers and legal fraternity members within court complexes, with local bar association members condemning the incident as a blow to the Constitution.
