BHUBANESWAR: BHUBANESWAR: At the dawn of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Wednesday, the capital city was rocked by a ghastly murder when a 32-year-old man was hacked to death in full public view early in the morning on railway over-bridge near Rasulgarh square under Mancheswar police limits.
The assailants, about four in number, bludgeoned the victim Sahadev Nayak’s head with sharp weapons, almost decapitating him. Sahadev worked as a sanitation supervisor with the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC).
The incident took place at around 8 am amidst heightened security measures in place for the PBD. Videos of two criminals speeding away from the crime scene on a bike went viral soon afterwards. Hours later, police arrested three of the accused, including a couple, and attributed the motive to personal enmity.
Sahadev was on his way to work after dropping off his daughter at school when the assailants on two motorcycles intercepted him on NH-16 near the Rasulgarh over-bridge. One of the accused hit him with a helmet, while his associate brought out a chopper and hacked him mercilessly as terrified passers-by ran helter-skelter. Leaving Sahadev in a pool of blood in the middle of the road, the four fled the scene. The victim was shifted to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Police said the accused couple Lipika Nayak and her husband Laxmidhar planned the crime and executed it with help of two others. The third associate was identified as Rocky Nayak while another is still at large. All the accused as well as Sahadev lived in Kedarpalli slums of the city.
Sources said Sahadev who worked as a sweeper supervisor was also president of BMC Safai Karamchari Association. Initial investigation revealed Lipika and Laxmidhar also worked as sweepers of the civic body but lost their jobs as Sahadev was opposed their alleged involvement in brown sugar trade.
BMC staffer hacked to death in Bhubaneswar
Police sources said Lipika was reportedly arrested last year for brown sugar peddling and released from jail only three days back. Victim’s wife Sunita said Sahadev feared for his life after Lipika was out.
“After walking out of jail on January 5, Lipika and her husband planned to eliminate Sahadev with the help of their associates to avenge their removal from the jobs,” said the police sources.
Inspector-in-charge of Mancheswar police station Mrutyunjay Swain said efforts are on to nab one more person involved in the crime. Meanwhile, the BMC sweepers have threatened ceasework agitation unless all the accused are arrested within 24 hours. Sahadev was also a police mitra but cops said he was no longer working for them as a volunteer in the slums. He is survived by his parents, wife and two daughters.
At least 90 platoon police, anti-terror agencies, 12 companies of Central Armed Police Forces and over 500 officers have been deployed in the city for the PBD convention.