UMERKOTE: Shockwaves spread in Nabarangpur’s Papdahandi block after a drunk man reportedly stabbed his two-year-old son and a female neighbour to death at Gujumapadar village under Maidalpur panchayat on Friday. The accused is 29-year-old Radha Santa. The deceased were identified as Radha’s toddler son Bibe Santa and neighbour 57-year-old Janai Santa. The horrifying murders took place at around 8 am.
Sources said Radha in an inebriated state picked up a quarrel with his wife Malati over a trivial issue in the morning. In a fit of rage, the accused grabbed a knife and tried to attack his wife. A terrified Malati ran out of the house to save herself.
Mad with anger, Radha attacked the toddler and stabbed him with the knife. Janai, who was passing by the accused’s house, saw the ghastly act and rushed to Bibe’s rescue. However, she too was stabbed. Both of them died on the spot.
As the news about the incident spread, some villagers rushed to the spot and caught hold of Radha. They thrashed him mercilessly before tying him with a rope. The accused sustained injuries on his head and limbs in the assault.
On being informed, police reached the village and rescued Radha from the clutches of irate villagers. He was rushed to Papdahandi community health centre and later taken to the district headquarters hospital, Nabarangpur. Subsequently, he was shifted to Saheed Laxman Naik Medical College and Hospital, Koraput after his condition deteriorated.
A scientific team was also sent to the crime scene for investigation. Bodies of the two deceased were seized and sent to the hospital for postmortem.
Later in the day, Janai’s son Simanchal Santa lodged an FIR in Maidalpur police station. Basing on his complaint, police registered a case and further investigation is underway, said sub-divisional police officer of Papdahandi Aditya Sen.