BERHAMPUR: A grocery shop owner was brutally hacked to death over a minor altercation at Bahadapalli village within Rambha police limits in Ganjam district late in the night on Saturday.
Police identified the deceased as 55-year-old B Manu Pradhan. The incident took place at around 11.30 pm.
Sources said a group of persons reached Pradhan’s shop in the night to purchase some items. A quarrel reportedly broke out between them over some issue. After the group left, Pradhan closed his shop and left for Rambha to buy some commodities. After collecting the required items, he was returning to Bahadapalli village on his two-wheeler.
Pradhan stopped near the local level crossing as the gate was closed. All of a sudden, a group of miscreants armed with sharp weapons arrived on the spot and attacked him. While Pradhan fell down from his bike, people present on the other side of the level crossing gate raised an alarm, forcing the attackers to flee.
Locals rushed Pradhan to Khallikote hospital and informed his family members. Later, he was shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital at Berhampur as his injuries were critical in nature. However, he succumbed during treatment on Sunday morning.
After the news of Pradhan’s death spread, tension flared up in Bahadapalli as locals blocked the entry to the village. On being informed, senior police officers reached the village and pacified the irate locals by assuring them of strong action against the culprits involved in the incident.
IIC of Rambha police station Kumar Muduli said a case has been registered in connection with the incident. Police have detained a suspect and are interrogating him. The deceased’s body was handed over to his family members for cremation after autopsy. Further investigation is underway and all the culprits involved in the murder will be nabbed soon, Muduli added.