BARGARH: A youth was allegedly beaten to death at Jamurda village within Bargarh Rural police limits on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as 26-year-old Sudhansu Pradhan of Jamurda. Sudhansu’s body was found near the village temple with multiple injury marks.
Sources said Sudhansu was a folk-theatre artiste and used to work in a Jatra troupe along with a few other youths of the village. For the last one week, he was travelling with his troupe. He came back to his village on Tuesday night and had dinner with one of his coworkers Sanjeeb Pradhan. However, he did not return home.
On Wednesday morning, Sanjeeb informed Sudhansu’s family that the latter was lying unconscious in a carnival chariot parked near the village temple. Family members rushed to the spot and found Sudhansu dead. They also noticed injury marks on his chest and near the eyes.
Sudhansu’s mother Lochana Pradhan alleged that the village youths who worked with her son might have killed him. “We did not know that Sudhansu had returned to the village. When Sanjeeb informed us about my son this morning, I asked him the reason why he did not drop him home last night or inform us about his return. He fumbled and could not answer properly. The injury marks on my son’s body suggests he was mercilessly beaten to death,” she claimed.
On being informed, police rushed to Jamurda village and launched an investigation. IIC of Bargarh Rural police station Sarmistha Pradhan said the deceased’s body was sent to the hospital for autopsy. A few suspects have been detained and are being questioned. Further investigation is underway.
Notably, five brutal murders have been reported from different parts of the district since February. Earlier on Monday, the body of a Class IX student with his head smashed was found in a forest near Kendugudia village in Bhatli block.