BERHAMPUR: A dispute over grazing of buffaloes in a farmland resulted in the murder of a 65-year-old man in Baghera village under Itamati police limits in Nayagarh district.
The deceased was identified as Pitabas Khatua of Panderipatna village. The prime accused is Banambar Parida.
Police said the incident stemmed from a dispute over Banambar allowing his buffaloes to graze on Pitabas’ agricultural field, causing damage to the land. Pitabas had reportedly objected to the grazing around a month ago, leading to a heated altercation between the two. The matter had even reached the police station, where both sides were called for questioning.
Nayagarh SP Subhendu Patra said investigation revealed that Pitabas had reportedly assaulted Banambar during the earlier dispute over buffalo grazing, which is suspected to have triggered the subsequent attack.
“On Tuesday afternoon, Pitabas had a heated argument with Banambar and a few of his associates near a tea stall. The accused then allegedly assaulted him severely,” the SP said.
However, the victim’s family alleged that Banambar, his son and another associate abducted Pitabas from near a village pond, took him to Baghera and brutally assaulted him before abandoning him at a secluded spot, believing he was dead. Locals later found Pitabas and informed his family. He was rushed to the Nayagarh district headquarters hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Pitabas’ statement was recorded before his condition deteriorated. He died shortly afterwards, the SP said.
Itamati police registered a murder case and sent the body for postmortem. A search is on for the accused who are absconding. Further investigation is underway, police added.
