BARIPADA: Tension gripped Balasore town after a youth, who was out on bail, was hacked to death by two unidentified miscreants in broad daylight on Wednesday. The deceased, identified as 39-year-old Tanmay Panda alias Kunu, was the younger brother of dreaded criminal Papa Panda of Sobharampur within Sahadevkhunta police limits.
The incident took place on OT Road near Laxminarayan Temple at Satsanga Vihar within Industrial Area police limits.
As per reports, Kunu was on his motorcycle when the miscreants gave him a chase and attacked him with a sword. He sustained critical injuries on his head and face. A profusely bleeding Kunu was seen writhing in pain at the roadside as bystanders turned mute spectators. No one came to his rescue till a PCR van arrived and rushed him to Balasore district headquarters hospital. However, doctors declared him dead.
Police accompanied by a scientific team reached the crime scene and started investigation. “The weapon used in the murder has been seized. No arrests have been made so far and further investigation is on,” said Industrial Area IIC Paresh Kumar Rout.
Police suspected that the murder could be an outcome of past rivalry. Kunu was released from jail a few days back and had two cases pending against him. Following the incident, panic spread among residents of Balasore town who blamed police for lax security measures in the area.