BERHAMPUR: A 16-year-old girl was reportedly murdered at her home by a stalker in Karapalli village within Gopalpur police limits in Ganjam district on Thursday.
Police on Friday said the prime accused, Muna Khan (20) of Jatni area in Khurda district, was arrested for murdering the teen girl. A 16-year-old juvenile of Kaipadar in Khurda was also apprehended for assisting Khan in the crime. Khan was allegedly stalking the girl for some time.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said at around 6 am, the accused duo reached the backyard of the deceased’s house in a moped. Khan entered the house from the rear door and found the girl alone. There was an altercation between them following which the accused brought out a razor blade from his pocket and threatened to slash his wrists if the girl did not agree to his love proposal.
During the argument, Khan made some cuts on his wrists which panicked the girl. She pulled the blade from his hand and tried to call her father on her cell phone. As Khan tried to snatch the phone away from her, a tussle broke out between them.
Hearing the commotion, the juvenile waiting at the backyard entered the house and hit the girl’s head with a crowbar. As she fell down, Khan slashed her wrists. While both the accused fled the scene, the girl bled to death on the spot.
Later, the deceased’s blood-soaked body was found inside the house. On being informed, police rushed to the spot and seized the body for postmortem.
The girl was a second-year student of Berhampur ITI. Her family members said the accused used to stalk her and even detain her on the road regularly. They had earlier lodged a complaint with police in this regard but no action was taken against Khan, they alleged.
The SP said the deceased’s uncle Prafulla Sahu lodged a complaint with police basing on which a case was registered. Police apprehended the accused from Berhampur. The crowbar, blade, moped and two mobile phones were seized from their possession. The duo was produced in court. Further investigation is underway, he added.
Incidently, this is the seventh murder in Ganjam district in the last as many days.