JAJPUR: Bari-Ramachandrapur police in Jajpur district on Saturday arrested five murder accused including the deceased’s younger brother who were on the run for the last four months after committing the offence.
The deceased, 39-year-old Santosh Malik had allegedly been poisoned to death in mid-October last year. Police identified the accused as deceased’s younger brother Prasant Malik, Purnachandra Malik, Gajendra Malik, Kailas Malik, Sanatan Malik and Prasant Kumar Malik, all belonging to Arangabad-Anandpur village of Bari block.
As per police, Prasant had assaulted Santosh’s wife Bandana over the property dispute in October last year. On receiving complaint from Santosh, police had arrested Prasant. However, he was released on bail a week later.
Police said, following his release, Prasant conspired to teach a lesson to Santosh. Accordingly, he took the assistance of eight others from the village and called Santosh to an isolated place in the village on October 18 night to amicably settle the matter.
After Santosh reached the spot, they all consumed liquor together but the drink given to Santosh was reportedly laced with poison. When Santosh returned home, he complained of stomach pain and started vomiting. He was immediately rushed to the Bari community health centre, where he died under treatment the same night.
Santosh’s wife lodged a complaint alleging her husband had been poisoned to death by her brother-in-law Prasant Malik and seven others of their village. Based on the complaint, police started investigation. The autopsy reports later revealed it was a murder. Jajpur Town SDPO Prasant Kumar Majhi said all the eight accused, including the deceased’s brother had absconded ever since the complaint was lodged.