BERHAMPUR: In a major breakthrough in the sensational murder of Nikhil Hadapa in Rayagada, police have arrested three prime accused from Bihar for the gang-war-like killing that triggered tension across the district.
The accused, Umesh Hial, Raj Simeli and Akshaya Samal alias Tinkulu, were arrested from the Madanpur police station area in Bihar’s Aurangabad district and brought to Rayagada on transit remand on Friday for further investigation.
According to police, a group of miscreants allegedly chased Nikhil around 10 pm on May 9,. Following an argument, Nikhil reportedly attempted to flee but was shot, abducted and later murdered. His body was reportedly dumped in the Nagabali riverbed near Tumbiguda in Rayagada town.
Police said the accused had repeatedly managed to evade arrest despite investigators closing in on them several times during the probe. Six separate teams were formed to conduct raids within and outside Odisha. The investigation is being supervised by Rayagada SP Swathi S Kumar and additional SP Ramendra Prasad with assistance from the technical investigation team.
Police suspect the murder was linked to longstanding rivalry between two gangs and disputes over sharing loot from gambling operations.
Nikhil, a resident of Ambedkar Street near Indira Nagar 3rd Line in Rayagada town, was allegedly involved in several criminal activities, police sources said.
Basing on a complaint lodged by Nikhil’s parents, police had registered a case naming several local suspects. Following the postmortem on May 11, tension escalated after a procession carrying Nikhil’s body allegedly vandalised two houses belonging to suspected accused and torched a motorcycle.
Police, however, did not divulge the motive behind the murder. DIG (South Western Range) Kanwar Vishal Singh confirmed the arrest of the three accused and said further details could not be disclosed as the investigation was in its final stage.