BERHAMPUR: Police on Tuesday arrested seven members of a family including three women hours after two persons were hacked to death at Sunarijhola village in Ganjam’s Kabisuryanagar.
On Monday night, Mithun Bhuyan of Sunarijhola and his brother-in-law Lipun Swain of Nuagada village in Hinjilicut were murdered by a group of around 15 armed persons including women over past enmity. As the double murder sent shockwaves through the region, police swung into action and arrested Janaki Bhuyan (52), his brother Rohit (45) and five of their family members for their involvement in the crime.
Additional SP (ASP) Ajay Mishra said that for the last three years, the families of Mithun and Janaki have been at loggerheads over establishing supremacy in the area.
Around 18 months back, there was a fight between Mithun and one of Janaki’s brothers. Police had registered two separate cases in this connection.
On Monday night, Mithun and Lipun went to Janaki’s house on a motorcycle. Mithun reportedly resorted to blank firing and he along with Lipun assaulted Rohit and Janaki. In retaliation, Janaki’s family members including his sons and daughter-in-laws attacked Mithun and Lipun with swords and other weapons. The duo suffered deep injuries on the head and other parts of the body.
Villagers rushed them to the Kabisuryanagar Community Health Centre. As their condition was serious, they were shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur where the doctors declared them dead. Mishra informed that Mithun had seven cases of murder, extortion, dacoity and rioting pending against him in Kabisuryanagar police station. Lipun too was involved in several cases registered in Kabisuryanagar and Hinjili police stations. Similarly, accused Janaki and Rohit have cases pending against them in Kabisuryanagar.
The ASP said police have seized a country-made pistol, three magazines, seven live ammunition an empty case, one sword, a billhook, a crowbar, an iron rod, a kitchen knife and a wooden plank used in the crime. While the bodies of the deceased were handed over to their families after autopsy, the seven accused were produced in court on Tuesday evening. Further investigation is underway, Mishra added.