ROURKELA: Two murders within an hour of each other on Wednesday night sent shockwaves across Rourkela which is reeling under an unprecedented law and order crisis.
In the first incident, a 21-year-old youth was stabbed to death during a clash between two groups at around 9 pm in Chhend Colony. Sometimes around 10 pm, a man sleeping on the pavement of Gandhi Road under Plant Site police limits had his throat slit by an alcoholic friend.
In the Chhend Colony incident, the deceased was identified as Mukesh Kar, a resident of Kalinga Vihar. Police said, a heated argument had broken out between two groups of youths, aged between 17 and 25 years at VSS market complex late in the evening. In the commotion, one of the youths whipped out a knife and stabbed Mukesh to death.
Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani said the groups had developed bitterness over alleged romantic link of two of their members with one girl. Seven accused have been detained and efforts are underway to nab three others.
In the other case, the victim was Sudeep Kar, a resident of Madhusudanpali slum. Police said, Sudeep was asleep on the pavement when his friend Sanjay Ravidas, a native of Gaya in Bihar, slit his throat with a knife.
Police said, both Sudeep and Sanjay used to work as labourers and for the past four to five days, they were seen together in an inebriated condition. As per preliminary information, Sanjay had asked Sudeep for money to buy alcohol but when the latter refused, they had a brawl. Later, upon finding Sudeep asleep on the pavement, Sanjay slit his throat.
Sources said Sanjay was barely Rs 10 short of buying a country liquor pouch when Sudeep’s refusal got him enraged.
Both the crimes have come at a time when Rourkela police has rolled out a host of measures to contain crimes and criminals.