BHUBANESWAR: Jagannath Pradhan, who shocked the city with the gruesome murder of Priyanka Priyadarshini Sahoo (26) of Bhimatangi Housing Board Colony within Airfield police limits on July 5, had bought two sharp chef’s knives used for cutting meat, to commit the crime.
Pradhan, who was in a relationship with Priyanka prior to the latter’s marriage five years back, also attempted to apply vermilion on her forehead before killing her and sending the picture of her body to her husband. The knives along with their boxes were seized from Priyanka’s rented house on the day of the incident.
Bhubaneswar DCP Umashankar Dash said Pradhan, a native of Badamangalpur in Jajpur district had pre-planned the murder. “Preliminary investigation suggests the accused had bought the two sharp knives, used by chefs to cut meat, with the sole intention of murdering the victim,” he said.
Apart from the two knives and their boxes, a mobile phone and a suicide note purportedly written by the accused before committing the crime, police also recovered a vermilion box from the spot. “Pradhan had either bought the vermilion box before arriving at the victim’s house or got it from her residence. He had possibly to attempted to apply the vermilion powder on the victim’s forehead,” the DCP said.
A team of Airfield police had visited Mangalpur to question the accused’s family members in connection with the crime. Pradhan’s family said he was working in Bengaluru and returned to his hometown after the outbreak of the pandemic last year. He then started selling Dahi Bara and Aloo Dum in his hometown for livelihood.
The accused had left his house on July 5 on the pretext of going to the market and arrived in the State Capital. “Pradhan had cut his veins and consumed poison after killing Priyanka. He is out of danger now but will continue to stay in hospital for a few more days. Further details will be extracted from him once he is discharged,” said the police. The victim is survived by her husband, Rakesh and a three-year-old son.