BERHAMPUR: Shockwaves spread in Ganjam’s Kabisuryanagar after a 45-year-old man was hacked to death in full public view in Badaagula village on Thursday night.
Police identified the deceased as Trilochan Pradhan of Badaagula. The 43-year-old accused, Kailash Swain of the same village, has been arrested.
Ganjam SP Jagmohan Meena said Trilochan and Kailash were neighbours and their houses were situated only 20 metre apart. The accused had borrowed some money from the deceased five years back. When he did not repay the money after one year, a quarrel broke out between the duo.
In subsequent years, it was rumoured that Kailash practised sorcery. When locals started to look at him with suspicion, the accused relocated with his family to Berhampur and rented a house there. Later, he went to Surat for work and recently returned to his rented house at Berhampur.
After his return, Kailash started to visit Badaagula village frequently. Every time he went to the village, Trilochan, a daily wager by profession, humiliated him by seeking a refund of his money.
Infuriated by the repeated humiliation, the accused decided to eliminate Trilochan. At around 9 pm on Thursday, Trilochan was sitting in front of a shop when Kailash arrived at the scene with a sword and started to attack him in front of villagers. Trilochan sustained fatal injuries on his head and died instantly.
Sources said the sudden attack took bystanders by surprise and before they could react, the accused fled the scene leaving Trilochan in a pool of blood.
On being informed, Kabisuryanagar police reached the village and launched a search for Kailash. After carrying out raids at several places, police managed to nab the accused. The sword used in the crime and blood stained clothes were seized from him. The body was sent for postmortem.
Meena said Kailash was produced in court on Friday and remanded in judicial custody. Further investigation is underway.