JEYPORE: A day after a tea-seller was found murdered at his house in Jeypore town, police on Thursday arrested a 21-year-old youth for his involvement in the crime.
The accused, Sudam Nayak, is a resident of Ranaspur village within B Singhpur police limits in Borigumma block. Sudam reportedly slit the throat of 50-year-old Tambi Ayer after the tea-seller asked him to return his gifts including Rs 20,000 cash and a motorcycle.
Police said during investigation, it was found that Tambi had become fond of Sudam as the latter used to frequent his tea stall during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Sudam then worked as a watchman in the Covid hospital of Jeypore.
Subsequently, Tambi gave money and several gifts to the accused. He also gifted Sudam a motorcycle and even helped him secure bail in a theft case in Koraput Town police station in 2023.
However, after coming out of jail, Sudam started to avoid Tambi. The duo even started to fight frequently over petty issues. Tambi then asked the accused to return Rs 20,000 and the bike which he had gifted him earlier. But Sudam did not pay any heed.
On April 13, Tambi asked Sudam to come to his residence at Nuasahi to settle the issue. At around 12 am the next day, the accused reached the tea-seller’s house and there was a heated exchange of words between the duo.
In a fit of rage, Sudam slit Tambi’s neck with a knife and escaped from the house by locking the main gate from outside. While leaving, the accused took Rs 2,000 cash and a polythene bag full of coins of different denominations from Tambi’s house.
The accused concealed the weapon used in the crime, keys of the deceased’s house and the coin bag near a bush on the Canal Road behind a hotel. After Tambi’s decomposed body was recovered on Wednesday, Jeypore police launched an investigation and arrested Sudam. The knife, keys of Tambi’s house, the coin bag and two motorcycles were seized from the accused.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Jeypore Ankit Kumar Verma said the accused was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody on the day.