BERHAMPUR: Three persons including a 24-year-old woman were brutally murdered in separate incidents of violent crimes in Ganjam district on Tuesday.
Priya Moharana (24) of Lanjipali area in Berhampur was reportedly stabbed to death in a lodge near the new bus stand in Baidyanathpur area in the evening. The accused, Abhaya Moharana of the same area, surrendered before police after committing the crime.
Police said Abhaya and Priya reached the lodge in the morning and stayed in a room together. The accused reportedly stabbed the woman to death inside the room over some dispute. In the evening, the accused came out of the lodge and reached Gosaninuagaon police station where he confessed to have murdered Priya.
The lodge staff, who were unaware of the crime, came to know about the murder after a team of police rushed to the spot for investigation. IG (Southern Range) Niti Sekhar and Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M also reached the lodge to take stock of the situation. The deceased’s body was seized for postmortem.
Though the motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained, police said the accused was in a relationship with the woman. It is suspected that Abhaya might have pressurised the woman to have physical relationship with him. When the victim refused to comply, he stabbed her to death in a fit of rage, said an officer of Gosaninuagaon police station. A case has been registered in connection with the incident and Abhaya is being interrogated, he added.
Similarly, a 35-year-old man was hacked to death in B Nuapali village within Beguniapada police limits on the day. The deceased was identified as Nirakar Das.
Police said Nirakar was standing near his house in the morning when a group of miscreants armed with sharp weapons reached the spot and attacked him without any provocation. Nirakar suffered grievous injuries in the attack and was killed instantly. The assailants fled the spot immediately.
On being informed, police along with a scientific team reached the crime scene for investigation. The body was seized for autopsy. Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra said the murder is a fallout of previous enmity. Nirakar was a history-sheeter and had attacked many persons in the area. Police have detained a person in this connection and are interrogating him, he said.
The third murder took place at Goba village within Chhatrapur police limits in the district. Police said 23-year-old Tofan Swain was killed after being attacked by a group of miscreants with sharp weapons.
Sources said residents of Goba were divided into two groups due to a dispute over new office bearers of the village committee. In the afternoon, Tofan and some locals were engaged in a discussion at the village chowk when 10 bike-borne miscreants reached the spot and attacked them. At least four persons including Tofan sustained serious injuries.
The injured were rushed to Chhatrapur hospital. As Tofan’s condition deteriorated, he was shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur. However, he succumbed during treatment.
SP Patra said preliminary investigation suggested that the attackers belong to the rival group of villagers. Two persons have been detained for interrogation. All the accused involved in the murder will be arrested soon, he added.
Fatal attacks
Priya Moharana stabbed to death by her male friend inside a lodge in Baidyanathpur
Accused Abhaya surrenders before Gosaninuagaon police after committing the crime
35-year-old Nirakar Das, a history-sheeter, murdered over previous enmity
Tofan Swain dies after being attacked by bike-borne miscreants with sharp weapons