ANGUL: A 55-year-old man, believed to be mentally unstable, allegedly killed his nephew in Badakanjani village under Angul Sadar police limits on Friday night.
Police said accused Basant Dash beat his 35-year-old nephew Sudarshan Dash to death with a stick when the latter did not bring food for him.
Sources said Basant was mentally unstable and used to wander aimlessly in the village. He usually had food at his nephew’s house and spent the nights outside in the village. Sudarshan liked his uncle and ensured that he was provided food both during the day and night.
On Friday night, Sudarshan came to know that his uncle was taking shelter at an abandoned house near the village graveyard. He rushed to the place to call him home for dinner. When the 35-year-old did not return home in the night, his family members launched a search but could not trace him.
On Saturday morning, some villagers found Sudarshan’s body lying near the graveyard. He had sustained injuries to the head and face. A blood-stained stick was also found nearby.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot and seized both the body and the stick. Basant was picked up and taken to the police station for questioning.
Angul Sadar IIC Mrinal Kalo said Basant was giving inconsistent statements during interrogation, indicating signs of mental imbalance. It appears that the accused killed his nephew due to sudden provocation.
“It seems the accused became violent on finding that his nephew had not brought any food for him and fatally assaulted him with the stick. He has been detained. The deceased’s body was sent for postmortem and further investigation is underway,” he added.
