SAMBALPUR: Sambalpur police on Saturday arrested a 59-year-old man, who was on the run after allegedly shooting his 30-year-old co-worker to death following an argument, in Rairakhol on Friday. The illegal country-made firearm used in the offence was also seized from him.
The accused is Karunakar Majhi alias Kaira of Hintarai village under Rairakhol police limits. The deceased, identified as Bharat Dandasena, and the accused belonged to the same village. Both of them worked as labourers in farms.
According to police, the incident took place on Friday afternoon when Majhi and Dandasena along with other villagers had gathered at Katei on the outskirts of Hintarai village for a feast.
During the feast, some of them allegedly consumed country-made liquor. After the others left, Majhi and Dandasena decided to go for hunting lesser whistling ducks at a nearby pond using a country-made gun. However while proceeding towards the pond at around 3.30 pm, an argument broke out between the duo after which Majhi abused Dandasena, said police.
When he protested, the altercation escalated, and in a fit of rage, Majhi reportedly shot Dandasena on his head with the illegal firearm, killing him on the spot.
Police said the accused then attempted to conceal the crime by covering the body with palm leaves and fled into a nearby forest with the weapon. He later hid the firearm near his cultivated land.
The body was subsequently discovered by the deceased’s brother Saroj Dandasena, who along with other villagers, informed the matter to police. During the investigation, police recovered the country-made gun used in the offence along with biological exhibits collected by the forensic team and the clothes and biological samples of Majhi. He was arrested on the day and produced in the SDJM court, Rairakhol.