September 12, 2025 • 9 mins
A newlywed couple in India thought they were opening a wedding gift. Instead, the box exploded—killing a husband, fatally injuring an elderly relative, and leaving a young bride scarred for life. Investigators at first had nothing—no witnesses, no fingerprints, no CCTV. Then, months later, a mysterious letter arrived that cracked the case wide open.
Today, we tell you about India’s first parcel bomb case—the story of Soumya and Reema, a package that carried death instead of joy, and the shocking motive that led a respected college lecturer, Punjilal Meher, to plan one of the most calculated acts of revenge the country has ever seen.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Today, we tell you about India’s first parcel bomb case—the story of Soumya and Reema, a package that carried death instead of joy, and the shocking motive that led a respected college lecturer, Punjilal Meher, to plan one of the most calculated acts of revenge the country has ever seen.
**************************************
Do you have thoughts about this case, or is there a specific true crime case you’d like to hear about? Let me know with an email or a voice message: https://murderandlove.com/contact
Find the sources used in this episode and learn more about how to support Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide and gain access to even more cases, including bonus episodes, ad-free and intro-free cases, case files and more at: https://murderandlove.com
Music:
℗ lesfreemusic
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/love-and-murder-heartbreak-to-homicide--4348896/support.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:02):
On February twenty third, twenty eighteen, in the quiet town
of Patnaga, Odisha, India, a new couple married for just
five days. Twenty six year old software engineer Sumya Sekar
Sahu and Rima were at home preparing lunch when a
courier delivered what looked like another wedding gift addressed to Sumya.
(00:24):
The package had been sent from Ripur, more than two
hundred thirty kilometers away. When Sumya pulled the thread to
unwrap it, the box exploded. The blast ripped through the house,
shattering windows and cracking walls. Sumya's eighty five year old
great aunt, Jinnamaney, was fatally injured and died on the
way to the hospital. Sumya himself was rushed to VSS
(00:49):
Medical College and Hospital, but didn't survive. Rima, who had
been by his side, was thrown across the room. She
suffered severe burns, a punctured ear drum that left her
with permanent hearing damage, and other injuries. She was rushed
to the hospital, where she stayed for over a month
fighting to recover. Later, she described how the explosion left
(01:12):
her in shock, her skin blistered, and her body so weak.
She couldn't move on her own. She said, she still
hears the sound of that blast in her head, still
sees the moment her husband collapsed beside her. What should
have been the happiest week of her life became the
beginning of years of physical and emotional scars.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Welcome to Love and Murder, heartbreak to homicide. We are
kais Ai co hosts Jane Jensen and Jessica bringing you
your Friday cases that Chai writes, this is Foreign Affairs Friday,
where we step outside the US to cover shocking crimes
that happened abroad. If you like hearing these cases told
(01:52):
with the victim in mind, make sure to follow or
subscribe wherever you're listening. You can also subscribe on our
Patreon for free to get some perks. Patreon dot com
Slash Love and Murder and don't forget this podcast is
listener funded, so join us on Patreon using a bonus
here to get bonus episodes, behind the scenes extras, and
(02:14):
to become a voice of the victim right along with us.
Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder. Now, let's get
back to your Foreign Affairs Friday episode.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The man behind the attack was Punjilal Meher a forty
nine year old English lecturer and former college principle. His
motive was revenge. Years earlier, he had been serving as
in charge principle of Gioti Vikas College, but in twenty
fourteen he was replaced by history lecturer Sanjuktasahu, who was
(02:46):
Sumya's mother. Mayher refused to give up his position and
threatened her openly. Being removed left him humiliated, and his
resentment grew into an obsession. That bitterness eventually turned into
a meticulous plan to destroy her family. He started preparing
months in advance. He studied bomb making through YouTube videos
(03:08):
and online manuals, later deleting his browser history. During a
celebration in twenty seventeen, he collected firecrackers to stockpile gunpowder.
He tested his devices by packing the powder into led
lights and triggering them to make sure they worked. When
the device was ready, he packed it into a cardboard
(03:28):
box wrapped like a wedding gift. On the day he
mailed it, he even made an alibi for himself by
attending class at the college. He then traveled nearly two
hundred fifty kilometers by train to Ripoor deliberately avoiding buying
a ticket to leave no record. There, he found a
courier shop in a basement that had no cameras or
scanning machines. He mailed the box under a false name S. K.
(03:52):
Sharma and gave a fake return address. He listed the
contents as quote gift articles and suites. That evening, he
quietly took the train back home, and three days later
the box reached the Sahu household. In his final touch,
he attended both Sumya's wedding and later his funeral. At first,
(04:14):
investigators had nothing, no ideas, no leads, no evidence. The
case was handed from local police to the Odisha Crime Branch,
but there were no eyewitnesses, no fingerprints and no CCTV.
More than one hundred suspects were questioned and dismissed. Senior
IPS Officer Arro and Borthra, who led the case, said.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
This was a special case as there was no evidence
at all when the Crime Branch took up the investigation,
all evidence was circumstantial.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Weeks went by without progress. Then in April twenty eighteen,
an anonymous letter arrived for investigators. It claimed three men
were behind the project and that the motive was Sumiya's betrayal. Basically,
it was hinting at a scorned lover or property dispute.
It even accused police of harassing innocent people. But the
(05:10):
letter backfired. It referred to the sender of the parcel
as S. K. Sinha, even though the courier records listed s. K. Sharma.
That detail could only have come from the person who
sent the package. Investigators noticed the polished English, the phrasing,
and the spacing. Sumya's mother immediately recognized it as resembling
(05:33):
the style of her colleague punjilal Meher. Suspicion turned back
to him. Police searched his house and found evidence that
was scientifically matched to other elements of the case, linking
him to the crime. During questioning, he first gave an
implausible story about being forced to deliver the letter under threat,
(05:55):
but later confessed. In August twenty eighteen, the crime branch
filed its charge sheet, naming him as the only person
of interest. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, the anonymous letter,
railway parking receipts, his phones and laptop, and testimony from
seventy two witnesses. They also tied him to the Ripoor
(06:17):
courier shop. Punjilal was charged with murder, attempted murder and
the use of explosives. Prosecutors called the crime heinous, reminding
the court that he planned it for months, hoarded materials,
built the bomb himself, and deliberately sent it disguised as
a gift to a newlywed couple. Reema became a central
(06:39):
figure during the trial. She testified about sitting beside her
husband as he opened the package, about the blinding flash
of the explosion, and about waking up in the hospital
to learn Sumya was gone. She said that the burns
scarred her not just physically but emotionally. Her young marriage, destroyed,
(06:59):
her future stolen. For weeks after her discharge, she couldn't
sleep through the night without reliving the moment of the blast.
After seven years, on May twenty eighth, twenty twenty five,
a district court in Bolangir convicted Punjilal and sentenced him
to life in prison along with a fine of fifty
(07:21):
thousand rupees. Judge Sonali pat Naik ruled that while the
crime was heinous, it did not qualify as a rarest
of the rare case that would bring the death penalty.
Sirmya's parents had mixed feelings of the sentencing. His mother,
Sanjukta said she was satisfied with the ruling, but added
(07:41):
that nothing could bring her son back. His father, Rabindra,
told the media.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
We were hoping for capital punishment in the crime considering
its rarest of the rare nature. But the court's sentence
life imprisonment. We express our gratitude to the court for investigators.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
The conviction was a hard one victory. Arun Bothra said.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
We are satisfied that we took it to conviction from
a blind case. Injustice is served to the family.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Now six years later, Rema has remarried and moved abroad.
Sumya's own father helped arrange her second marriage so she
could heal and find joy again. Resilient, she remains close
to her in laws and keeps in regular contact with them.
India's first parcel bomb case remains one of the most
shocking examples of calculated revenge. What began as professional jealousy
(08:35):
turned into an act of violence that shattered an entire family. Raema,
who still carries the scars of that day, has become
the lasting symbol of the tragedy. Her survival a reminder
of both the cruelty of the attack and the strength
it takes to go on after losing everything in a
single moment.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And that was today's Foreign Affairs Friday case. What did
you think? Let me know in the comments below, and
remember this podcast is sponsored by my lambs in Patreon.
If you want to support and also unlock bonuses, add
free episodes and extras, join us at patreon dot com.
Slash Love and Murder. Thanks for listening, thanks for your support,
(09:19):
and we'll see you in the next episode.
On February twenty third, twenty eighteen, in the quiet town
of Patnaga, Odisha, India, a new couple married for just
five days. Twenty six year old software engineer Sumya Sekar
Sahu and Rima were at home preparing lunch when a
courier delivered what looked like another wedding gift addressed to Sumya.
(00:24):
The package had been sent from Ripur, more than two
hundred thirty kilometers away. When Sumya pulled the thread to
unwrap it, the box exploded. The blast ripped through the house,
shattering windows and cracking walls. Sumya's eighty five year old
great aunt, Jinnamaney, was fatally injured and died on the
way to the hospital. Sumya himself was rushed to VSS
(00:49):
Medical College and Hospital, but didn't survive. Rima, who had
been by his side, was thrown across the room. She
suffered severe burns, a punctured ear drum that left her
with permanent hearing damage, and other injuries. She was rushed
to the hospital, where she stayed for over a month
fighting to recover. Later, she described how the explosion left
(01:12):
her in shock, her skin blistered, and her body so weak.
She couldn't move on her own. She said, she still
hears the sound of that blast in her head, still
sees the moment her husband collapsed beside her. What should
have been the happiest week of her life became the
beginning of years of physical and emotional scars.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
Welcome to Love and Murder, heartbreak to homicide. We are
kais Ai co hosts Jane Jensen and Jessica bringing you
your Friday cases that Chai writes, this is Foreign Affairs Friday,
where we step outside the US to cover shocking crimes
that happened abroad. If you like hearing these cases told
(01:52):
with the victim in mind, make sure to follow or
subscribe wherever you're listening. You can also subscribe on our
Patreon for free to get some perks. Patreon dot com
Slash Love and Murder and don't forget this podcast is
listener funded, so join us on Patreon using a bonus
here to get bonus episodes, behind the scenes extras, and
(02:14):
to become a voice of the victim right along with us.
Patreon dot com Slash Love and Murder. Now, let's get
back to your Foreign Affairs Friday episode.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
The man behind the attack was Punjilal Meher a forty
nine year old English lecturer and former college principle. His
motive was revenge. Years earlier, he had been serving as
in charge principle of Gioti Vikas College, but in twenty
fourteen he was replaced by history lecturer Sanjuktasahu, who was
(02:46):
Sumya's mother. Mayher refused to give up his position and
threatened her openly. Being removed left him humiliated, and his
resentment grew into an obsession. That bitterness eventually turned into
a meticulous plan to destroy her family. He started preparing
months in advance. He studied bomb making through YouTube videos
(03:08):
and online manuals, later deleting his browser history. During a
celebration in twenty seventeen, he collected firecrackers to stockpile gunpowder.
He tested his devices by packing the powder into led
lights and triggering them to make sure they worked. When
the device was ready, he packed it into a cardboard
(03:28):
box wrapped like a wedding gift. On the day he
mailed it, he even made an alibi for himself by
attending class at the college. He then traveled nearly two
hundred fifty kilometers by train to Ripoor deliberately avoiding buying
a ticket to leave no record. There, he found a
courier shop in a basement that had no cameras or
scanning machines. He mailed the box under a false name S. K.
(03:52):
Sharma and gave a fake return address. He listed the
contents as quote gift articles and suites. That evening, he
quietly took the train back home, and three days later
the box reached the Sahu household. In his final touch,
he attended both Sumya's wedding and later his funeral. At first,
(04:14):
investigators had nothing, no ideas, no leads, no evidence. The
case was handed from local police to the Odisha Crime Branch,
but there were no eyewitnesses, no fingerprints and no CCTV.
More than one hundred suspects were questioned and dismissed. Senior
IPS Officer Arro and Borthra, who led the case, said.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
This was a special case as there was no evidence
at all when the Crime Branch took up the investigation,
all evidence was circumstantial.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Weeks went by without progress. Then in April twenty eighteen,
an anonymous letter arrived for investigators. It claimed three men
were behind the project and that the motive was Sumiya's betrayal. Basically,
it was hinting at a scorned lover or property dispute.
It even accused police of harassing innocent people. But the
(05:10):
letter backfired. It referred to the sender of the parcel
as S. K. Sinha, even though the courier records listed s. K. Sharma.
That detail could only have come from the person who
sent the package. Investigators noticed the polished English, the phrasing,
and the spacing. Sumya's mother immediately recognized it as resembling
(05:33):
the style of her colleague punjilal Meher. Suspicion turned back
to him. Police searched his house and found evidence that
was scientifically matched to other elements of the case, linking
him to the crime. During questioning, he first gave an
implausible story about being forced to deliver the letter under threat,
(05:55):
but later confessed. In August twenty eighteen, the crime branch
filed its charge sheet, naming him as the only person
of interest. The prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence, the anonymous letter,
railway parking receipts, his phones and laptop, and testimony from
seventy two witnesses. They also tied him to the Ripoor
(06:17):
courier shop. Punjilal was charged with murder, attempted murder and
the use of explosives. Prosecutors called the crime heinous, reminding
the court that he planned it for months, hoarded materials,
built the bomb himself, and deliberately sent it disguised as
a gift to a newlywed couple. Reema became a central
(06:39):
figure during the trial. She testified about sitting beside her
husband as he opened the package, about the blinding flash
of the explosion, and about waking up in the hospital
to learn Sumya was gone. She said that the burns
scarred her not just physically but emotionally. Her young marriage, destroyed,
(06:59):
her future stolen. For weeks after her discharge, she couldn't
sleep through the night without reliving the moment of the blast.
After seven years, on May twenty eighth, twenty twenty five,
a district court in Bolangir convicted Punjilal and sentenced him
to life in prison along with a fine of fifty
(07:21):
thousand rupees. Judge Sonali pat Naik ruled that while the
crime was heinous, it did not qualify as a rarest
of the rare case that would bring the death penalty.
Sirmya's parents had mixed feelings of the sentencing. His mother,
Sanjukta said she was satisfied with the ruling, but added
(07:41):
that nothing could bring her son back. His father, Rabindra,
told the media.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
We were hoping for capital punishment in the crime considering
its rarest of the rare nature. But the court's sentence
life imprisonment. We express our gratitude to the court for investigators.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
The conviction was a hard one victory. Arun Bothra said.
Speaker 3 (08:03):
We are satisfied that we took it to conviction from
a blind case. Injustice is served to the family.
Speaker 1 (08:10):
Now six years later, Rema has remarried and moved abroad.
Sumya's own father helped arrange her second marriage so she
could heal and find joy again. Resilient, she remains close
to her in laws and keeps in regular contact with them.
India's first parcel bomb case remains one of the most
shocking examples of calculated revenge. What began as professional jealousy
(08:35):
turned into an act of violence that shattered an entire family. Raema,
who still carries the scars of that day, has become
the lasting symbol of the tragedy. Her survival a reminder
of both the cruelty of the attack and the strength
it takes to go on after losing everything in a
single moment.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
And that was today's Foreign Affairs Friday case. What did
you think? Let me know in the comments below, and
remember this podcast is sponsored by my lambs in Patreon.
If you want to support and also unlock bonuses, add
free episodes and extras, join us at patreon dot com.
Slash Love and Murder. Thanks for listening, thanks for your support,
(09:19):
and we'll see you in the next episode.
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