KENDRAPARA: Rajkanika police on Thursday arrested a man on the charge of killing his 65-year-old mother over property dispute in Kanapur village. The accused, 36-year-old Sanjit Barik, reportedly strangulated his mother Draupadi Barik to death on Tuesday night after the latter refused to transfer the family’s property in his name.
Sources said that Draupadi's husband worked as a plumber in Mumbai and with his lifetime earnings, had purchased a flat in Mumbai, another in Bhubaneswar and landed property in the village. Sanjit was pestering his mother to give away all the property to him but she was reluctant. Draupadi has a daughter who lives in Bhubaneswar.
On the day of the incident, the accused again broached the topic and picked up a quarrel with his mother when she refused to hand over the property to him. In a fit of rage, Sanjit strangulated Draupadi to death. On Wednesday morning, the accused with help of his brother-in-law Nirakar Nayak (34) clandestinely cremated his mother without informing their relatives.
On being informed about the incident, police launched an investigation and picked up Sanjit for questioning. During interrogation, the accused confessed to have killed his mother with help of Nirakar to grab the family’s property.
Rajkanika IIC Bilwamangal Sethi said the accused duo was arrested under sections 302 and 201 of the IPC. They were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody after their bail pleas were rejected.