Five persons, including the two main accused, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the murder of Puri temple priest and ward 1 councillor Guna Sinhari alias Taluchha Bhagaban Mahapatra.
Two pistols and six live cartridges were seized from them. On August 22, Mohapatra, was gunned down near his house at Gudia Sahi.
SP Anup Kumar Sahu told mediapersons on Monday that two persons _ Dhoka alias Sarbeswar Apat (22)
and Tilu alias Rabiprasad Subudhi (28) _ were the main accused. The others are Harihar Subudhi, Bhimsen Subudhi and Chitaranjan Mohanty.
Except Chitaranjan who is a resident of Manikarnika Sahi, all others belong to Gudia Sahi. Soon after the murder, the accused escaped from the city to evade arrest.
While Dhoka and Tilu were nabbed from Sadar and Brahmagiri areas, three were arrested from their houses. Police also seized three motorcycles used in the crime.
Preliminary investigation had revealed that there was a conspiracy to kill Mohapatra, but the actual reason behind the murder is yet to be ascertained.
To a query on the rise of criminal incidents in the Pilgrim City, the SP admitted to the problem and said efforts were on to check the crime.
The SP further said that murderers of Surya Mohanty of Srikhetra Colony, who was also shot dead by miscreants on Saturday, have been identified. “A police team has been dispatched to nab them,” he said.