BHUBANESWAR : Police on Wednesday arrested a 26-year-old man along with his four associates for allegedly strangulating a youth over suspicion of an affair with his wife.
The accused have been identified as Bahadula Bandra and his associates Lala Pingua (26), Pitambar Kankel (22), Naba Tiria (25) and Gultu Hemram (19), all residents of Godibari village in Chandaka
The deceased, Satrughna Birua (20) was a native of Badachana in Jajpur district. He stayed at Bhola village in Chandaka where he worked with a local tent vendor. After recovering his body on Monday, Chandaka police initially registered an unnatural death case. However, further investigation revealed that he had allegedly been strangulated to death late in the night.
Addressing the mediapersons, police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said no bullet or cut injuries were found on Birua’s body but his postmortem report revealed that he was strangulated and killed. Subsequently, Bandra and the four others were apprehended, he added.
As per police, Bandra had planned to murder Birua over suspicion that he was having an illicit affair with his wife. Accordingly, he and his associates executed the crime, they added.
Initial investigation revealed on Sunday, Birua had visited the shop of one Sita Hoo on his employer’s scooter to consume handia (traditional rice beer). He reportedly met Bandra’s wife there and they both consumed handia together. The duo later went to an isolated place where Pingua spotted them and informed other villagers. On seeing the group, Birua fled the spot leaving the two-wheeler behind.
When Bandra came to know of the matter, he took Birua’s scooter with him and along with his four associates went to the same spot again, waiting for Birua to return. Eventually, when Birua arrived at around 12 am to take the scooter back, they caught hold of him after which a heated exchange ensued between the two. The accused then allegedly assaulted Birua, strangulated him to death, dumped his body in the bushes and fled, said police.