BERHAMPUR: A 34-year-old man was brutally murdered by unidentified miscreants within Phiringia police limits in Kandhamal district on Thursday.
Police identified the deceased as Prabhat Mallik, a driver by profession and resident of Jargipada village.
Sources said on Wednesday, Prabhat left home on his bicycle for some work. When he did not return in the night, his family members started a search but failed to trace him. His cell phone was also switched off.
On Thursday morning, locals found a man lying in a pool of blood at the roadside between Kelapada and Bhrunijodi village. On being informed, Phiringia police along with scientific team and sniffer dog rushed to the spot for investigation. Hearing the news, Prabhat’s family members also reached the spot and identified his body.
Phiringia IIC Gopinath Pradhan said it is suspected that Prabhat was bludgeoned to death by unidentified miscreants as his body was ridden with multiple injuries with blood-stained stones lying nearby. Circumstantial evidence indicate that Prabhat was murdered, he said.
“Police registered a murder case and seized the body for autopsy. Investigation is underway to identify and nab the culprits involved in the crime,” the IIC added.