BALANGIR: In a sensational twist to the murder of 27-year-old Rinku Meher in Balangir town, police on Saturday arrested the deceased’s younger brother for the chilling crime. Rinku’s body, chopped into eight parts, was found in the family’s rented house in the Salepali area of the town on May 17. The decomposed state of the dismembered body revealed that the youth was murdered a few days earlier.
Balangir Town police told media persons that the role of a family member was suspected from day one as the house where the crime took place was locked from the outside. Also, attempts were made to shift the body parts but in vain.
During interrogation, Rinku’s younger brother Shankar (26) allegedly confessed to killing his elder sibling in a fit of rage. According to police, Shankar was taking care of the family by giving tuition to young students even while preparing for competitive examinations. However, he had a few spats with Rinku who had quit his job as a driver and was unemployed for the past few years.
While he was mentally disturbed, Rinku attacked and injured his father twice in a span of one month. The last attack about 10 days back required his father to be hospitalised at VIMSAR in Burla. Shankar was left to take care of his father.
On May 14, the 26-year-old had returned home to pick up some essentials for his ailing father when he ran into Rinku and an altercation ensued between the siblings. In a fit of sudden rage, Shankar attacked his elder brother with an axe leading to the latter’s death.
After Shankar realised that he had killed his brother, police said, he tried to dispose of the body in a bag. However, a problem with the zipper left him with no other option but to chop the body into eight parts. He then brought polythene bags to pack the dismembered parts but the stench emanating from the body prompted him to leave the house locking it from outside. Three days later, neighbours reported the smell and informed the police.
“His elder brother’s violent behaviour towards other members of the family had irritated Shankar. Rinku had allegedly assaulted his father Markanda Meher with a hammer which left him seriously injured,” SDPO Tofan Bag said. He said a police team rushed to VIMSAR for investigation. There they interrogated Shankar who confessed to the crime. Police also seized the weapon used in the murder, added the SDPO.