CUTTACK: Tension prevailed at Gopalpur village in Cuttack district on Friday following the brutal murder of a liquor trader by his vendor over repayment of credit money on Thursday night. The deceased has been identified as Bighneswar Bhoi alias Kandura (35).According to reports, Kandura was sleeping in his house when Siba, the illicit liquor vendor and his associate Baya of Bhaliapada under Cuttack Sadar police limits, visited his house at about 12.30 am and asked him to come out. Kandura had discontinued business with them but had not repaid the credit money even though he was running an illicit trade from other sources.
When Kandura expressed his inability to repay the money claiming that he stopped the illicit trade, the duo stabbed him with a sharp weapon.Hearing his screams, Kandura’s wife Renubala rushed out but the accused duo had fled by then. Kandura succumbed two hours later.Meanwhile, as police reached the spot on receiving information, the irate villagers manhandled the cops for reaching late. They also assaulted the police team, headed by OIC Sarat Chandra Sethi, and hit them with shoes and sticks.
Acting on information, senior police officers including Additional SP NC Swain and Sadar SDPO JK Dalai rushed to the spot and pacified the irate locals.Demanding immediate arrest of the accused and adequate compensation, locals staged a demonstration by blocking the Govindpur-Pratapnagari road near Gopalpur.The road block was withdrawn after administration provided `10,000 on the spot from Red Cross Fund and assured to arrest the accused within a week besides providing a house under Biju Pucca Gruha Yojana and Anganwadi helper job to Renubala.