ROURKELA: In a major breakthrough in the sensational murder of five members of a nomadic family, Sundargarh police arrested six persons of the community from Gadag district in Karnataka.
The accused were brought to the district headquarters town on transit remand. DIGP (Western Range) Brijesh Kumar Rai and Sundargarh SP Prtyush Diwaker said between 10 and 11 pm on October 29, the accused had hacked five family members of a nomadic family from Maharashtra to death while they were sleeping in tents set up at a secluded place near Karamdihi within Sadar police limits of Sundargarh.
The DIG said shortly after the gruesome incident, police launched a multi-state operation. A special team was formed and the Sundargarh SP directly monitored the investigation and meticulously solved the case. He said initially police did not have enough clues on the assailants and carried forward the investigation based on the suspicion of the survivor Avinash Bima Pawar (30). The investigating team got vital clues during its visit to Angul district.
Rai said following intense investigation and sustained coordination with Karnataka police, the six accused were arrested from Gadag district and brought on transit remand on Thursday.
As per preliminary probe, it appears the crime was a result of a prolonged enmity between Avinash and Sakaya Pawar (32) who is still at large. They were related to each other as brothers-in-law and were at loggerheads as Sakaya suspected Avinash of having an extra-marital affair with his wife. This apart, Avinash also owed some money to Sakaya which he had not returned.
Diwaker said three of the accused Santosh Bhonsle alias Santosiya (45) and his two sons, Jaggesh (25) and Lalle (20) were directly involved in the attack, while the other three Sunil Pawar (32), Sitra alias Akbar Pawar (32) and Intesh Pawar alias Sunugudu (35) had assisted them. He said it is suspected some of the absconding culprits might also be directly involved in the attack.
The assailants had swooped down on the victims with pointed and sharp weapons while they were sleeping in tents. While Avinash’s sister Chamma Bhosle ( 25), grandmother Pundi Pawar (65), brother Subhash Pawar (22), uncle Charan Kumar (40) and aunty Bhukya Kaila (56) died on the spot, Avinash and three others escaped with injuries.
The attackers had also reportedly kidnapped Pawar’s second wife Manchika Nagna Bhosle (18), daughter Malani (3), son Shetty Pawar (1) and two nieces Malari (4) and Surma Pawar (3). Sources said, Avinash was also involved in a murder and was handed over to Rayagada police four days back.