CUTTACK: A day after a 32-year-old man was shot dead by one of his friends during a feast at Nuapada Press Colony here, his family and locals on Thursday laid siege to the Madhupatna police station along with the body, protesting the alleged inaction by police in nabbing the culprit.
Family members of the deceased Soumya Ranjan Jena alleged police already know the accused but are yet to nab him despite 24 hours having passed since the incident.
“Though the cops detained Soumya’s two other friends for questioning, they are yet to crack the case and arrest the culprit,” they said.
Lodging an FIR in this connection, Jena’s younger brother Smruti Ranjan Jena alleged it was a pre-planned murder and urged police to arrest those involved at the earliest. The protest was later called off after police assured the agitators of prompt action.
The incident occurred on Wednesday. Thirty-two-year-old Soumya was enjoying an afternoon meal with three other friends at an abandoned government quarter at Nuapada Press Colony when the incident occurred.
Preliminary probe revealed Soumya and his friends were consuming alcohol when a quarrel broke out among them over some issue.
The matter soon escalated into a heated argument following which one of the friends took out a pistol from his pocket and fired at Soumya before fleeing. He is still absconding.