BERHAMPUR: Three members of a family were arrested on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in honour killing of a youth at Baliguda in Kandhamal district. Baliguda police also exhumed the body of the victim, identified as Sukhdev Rana of Ghantapada village in Boudh district, and sent it for postmortem to MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
The three arrested are Dushasan Malik and his cousins Girish and Nila of Talipada village within Baliguda police limits. Sukhdev was reportedly killed on August 26. Sources said Sukhdev was in a love relationship with Dushasan’s daughter. However, Dushasan and his family strongly opposed the relationship and had even warned the girl of dire consequences if she did not break up with Sukhdev.
On August 26, the girl reportedly asked Sukhdev to come to her village. Accordingly, the youth reached Talipada and met the girl at a secluded place. However, Dushasan and his cousins happened the see the couple. They reached the spot and asked the girl to go home. After she left, the trio killed Sukhdev and buried his body in the nearby forest.
When Sukhdev did not return home, his family got worried as they knew that he had gone to Talipada. Since they were aware about the opposition of the girl’s family to his relationship, they launched a frantic search for him fearing the worst.Unable to trace him, family members then lodged a complaint in Baliguda police station.
After investigation, police detained Dushasan, Girish and Nila on Monday evening. During interrogation, the trio admitted to have killed Sukhdev for their family’s honour. Basing on their statement, police reached the forest and exhumed the youth’s body. The accused trio was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody.