Holi celebrations turned bloody in the state with at least six murders, including two in the capital city, taking place due to drunkenness and over flimsy grounds.
In the capital city Bhubaneswar, both the killings were reported to be carried out under the influence of alcohol. The first occurred at Mancheswar Industrial Estate where one Tanmay Behera stabbed another Ayushman Pati in the chest in the heat of an argument over a petty issue. The victim was rushed to the Capital Hospital where he was declared brought dead.
Police said, Tanmay of Begunia was staying on rent in Mancheswar and known to Ayushman, a local. But, both were not on good terms. During Holi celebrations, both had allegedly consumed liquor and crossed path in a drunken state.
After committing the crime, Tanmay informed his brothers Prashant and Padmanav about the matter and they rushed to facilitate his escape. The brothers along with an accomplice Samir Kumar Swain first took Tanmay to Nayagarh in a car but the police tracked their location and chased them.
They then took him towards Pipili in an auto-rickshaw. Meanwhile, fearing arrest, Tanmay reportedly consumed a toxic fig (dimiri) to inflict self-harm, but police nabbed the four in time. Tanmay was treated at the Madanpur CHC for poisoning. All the four have been arrested and forwarded to court.
In the second incident, two groups had an argument in Shantipalli Basti within Saheed Nagar police limits during the celebrations. Police said the victim Gopi Guni had a heated exchange with Pinku Guni, his 17-year-old minor son and their relative Bana Guni. Pinku and the minor boy allegedly held Gopi, and Bana stabbed him with a knife.
Police said Gopi and Pinku were working as labourers and Bana was unemployed.
Pinku was apprehended and the minor boy detained, but Bana is still at large. Both Pinku and Bana have criminal antecedents.
“Preliminary probe suggests both the murders took place over sudden provocation. Investigation also revealed the prime accused of the two cases were under the influence of alcohol,” said DCP, Jagmohan Meena.
In neighbouring Cuttack, a 25-year-old youth shot dead an acquaintance following a heated exchange of words in an inebriated condition over spilling water on a carrom board. The accused, Prakash Sutar alias Kitu of Pattamundai in Kendrapara, is an interior designer by profession. The deceased, Bikash Mohanty of Birang in Jagatsinghpur, ran a motor spare parts shop in Phulnakhara locality.
DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said the deceased was friends with Kitu’s cousins who live in a rented accommodation at Dwaraka Chouk in Srikrishna Vihar here. “On Saturday night, Kitu, his cousins along with a few friends including Bikash were having a feast for Holi. They were all drinking and playing carrom when Bikash poured water on the carrom board. This angered Kitu and an argument broke out between the duo. Provoked, he pulled out a pistol and shot Bikash, killing him on the spot,” the DCP said.
In Sambalpur, a 25-year-old youth Sahul Singh allegedly stabbed an 18-year-old Aditya Salema to death at Sahu Colony under Town police limits.
According to reports, on Saturday morning, while Aditya was at his home, Sahul sent some boys to call him. When Aditya went to meet him, they got into a verbal duel and in a fit of rage, Sahul stabbed Aditya on his back. Sahul fled the spot soon after the incident and Aditya was rushed to DHH where he was pronounced death.
Following his death, the locals of his neighbourhood created ruckus and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. To control the situation, two platoons of police were deployed at the spot and after a brief search, the accused was nabbed by police.
Two more persons were killed in Berhampur and Angul. A contractor T Ramchandra Patra was allegedly murdered by one Chandan Sahu alias Papun after he allegedly refused to give him money for booze at Lanjipalli in Berhampur.
Police said, Patra was chatting with some of his friends in front of his house after playing Holi when Papun reached there. They exchanged some words following which Papun took out a knife and stabbed Patra several times. Patra died on the spot while Papun was overpowered by the others and beaten up before being handed over to police.
At Angul, a house painter Azad Hussain was also stabbed by one Mantu Samantray. Hussain’s fault was intervening to end a quarrel between Mantu and one Saroj Bengra in the morning. After the Holi celebrations ended, Mantu went to Hussain’s house and started abusing him. As the latter rushed out, Mantu pulled out a sharp weapon and stabbed him. While Hussain succumbed to his injuries, Mantu has been arrested and forwarded to court.