BHUBANESWAR: Even after 36 hours since Dilip Routray of Nua Sahi in Sundarpada was murdered by some miscreants and the police’s assurance to the victim’s family that the culprits will be nabbed within a day, no arrests have been made in the case so far.
Sources said, Zone II ACP Bishnu Prasad Patra and Airfield IIC Radhakanta Sahu had assured Dilip’s family that the killers will be nabbed within 24 hours. “It has been more than 36 hours but no arrests have been made so far. In the complaint, names of four suspects were mentioned and all of them are absconding,” said Dilip’s cousin.
The victim’s family said that he was a very amiable person and never interfered in anyone’s personal matters. “He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. We are all shocked at how the accused killed him using a sword and iron rods despite the fact they did not have any enmity with him,” said the cousin.
Sources said two groups of Nua Sahi and Kapileswar area were celebrating nearby on the eve of New Year. Some locals of Kapileswar reportedly misbehaved with the residents of Nua Sahi and a heated exchange of words took place between them. Dilip and a few other locals of Nua Sahi pacified both the groups and asked Kapileswar residents to leave the spot. The accused then returned at 1 am in an inebriated state and killed Dilip while he was returning home.
The incident took place when the night curfew, imposed by the State government to prevent the spread of Omicron variant, was in place. “Efforts are being made to nab the accused involved in the crime,” said a senior police officer. Meanwhile, ACP Patra has been transferred to Commissionerate Police headquarters on ‘administrative grounds’.