CUTTACK: Two days after a 23-year-old youth was beaten to death near Basulei temple within Baranga police limits, police on Sunday arrested five members of a dacoity gang for their alleged involvement in the crime.
Police said the accused - Babu Prasad Sahu (27), Sunil Yadav (23), Sujit Behera (20), Gagan Kumar Das (26) and Soumya Ranjan Das (25), all belong to Cuttack. The deceased is SK Rahil of Dewan Bazar within Lalbag police limits. The accused had also torched the vehicle Rahil and his friends were travelling in.
Briefing mediapersons, DCP Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said the accused killed Rahil as he resisted their dacoity bid. The incident had occurred on Friday at around 4 am. SK Rahil along with his two friends - Md Sahil and Lalu - was going in a car when the accused intercepted them on the Puri canal road with the intention to rob them.
The trio, suspecting their motive, initially managed to escape but the latter placed a wooden plank embedded with nails on the road as a result of which the car’s tyres got punctured. In a desperate attempt to save their lives and property, the trio came out of the car and ran towards Mundali. While Md Sahil and Lalu managed to escape, Sk Rahil was caught by the accused, Dnyandeo said.
“They then tried to snatch Rahil’s purse containing cash, and mobile phone, along with other belongings kept in the car. When Rahil resisted, the accused beat him with wooden sticks and steel pipes, resulting in his death on the spot. After that, the accused set the car afire and fled the spot,” the DCP said.
Investigation revealed the anti-socials have been involved in many dacoity cases in Athagarh, Badamba, Banki and Cuttack, he said adding, efforts are on to nab the others involved in the crime.