PHULBANI: Kandhamal police on Saturday arrested two persons for allegedly killing a 20-year-old man at Gochhapada and disposing his body in a river.
The case, initially registered as a drowning incident, turned into a murder investigation after police recovered the decomposed body of Sarthak Kanhar, of Salagudari village under Gochhapada police limits, from the river near Namberbali bridge on Wednesday. He had gone missing on the night of July 30. The accused are Biju Kanhar (31) of Khajurigaon and British Kanhar (21) of Takeriguda village under Gochhapada police limits, who are Sarthak’s relatives.
Addressing mediapersons, Kandhamal SP Ramendra Prasad said that the breakthrough came after police analysed Sarthak’s call detail records and found that he frequently contacted Biju before his disappearance.
According to police, Sarthak had left home on the night of July 30 to consume liquor. The two accused allegedly took him to a secluded location near the Namberbali river and were drinking liquor, where an altercation broke out between them.
Police alleged that the accused assaulted Sarthak on the head with a wooden stick, causing him to fall onto rocks and subsequently into the river. They allegedly fled the spot without reporting the incident.
Police said Biju had a longstanding grievance against Sarthak over a suspected relationship involving his sister-in-law. Biju was also allegedly harbouring resentment against Sarthak in connection with a 2023 murder case registered at Gochhapada police station. The two accused were arrested and forwarded to judicial custody. Further investigation is underway, police said.
