Post News Network
Jeypore, Feb 3: A man of Diribiguda under Sadar police limits was murdered by miscreants near the village Monday evening. The deceased was identified as Sahadev Gouda (40), a Congress activist.
According to his family, a co-villager Bhataru Jani had asked Sahadev to accompany him to Siadimal Monday. The duo then left for Siadimal.
But, when they reached the canal
embankment in the village, over 10
persons attacked Sahadev with lathis and sharp-edged weapons. Bhataru, somehow, managed to run away from the spot. He went to Sahadev’s house and informed his family and other villagers about
the incident.
The villagers and Sahadev’s family members rushed to the spot, only to find him dead. The attackers, on seeing the villagers, fled the scene.
On being informed, Gaganapur police went to the spot and started an investigation. They seized a mobile phone, two lathis and some shoes from the spot. Police handed over the body to Sahadev’s family members after post-mortem.
Acting on a complaint lodged by Sahadev’s family, police registered a murder case and detained three persons including Bhataru for interrogation. Bhataru revealed before the police the names of those who attacked Sahadev. On the basis of this information, the police detained two more persons. Prima facie, it is suspected that some co-villagers were involved in the incident.
However, Sahadev’s family and villagers suspected the role of liquor mafia in the murder. They claimed Sahadev had been fighting against illegal liquor trade in the village. In the past few days, the police and excise officials had raided the village thrice and arrested some persons in this connection. The arrested persons and their families had suspicion that Sahadev might have passed on the information to the police. Over this, they might have killed Sahadev, his family members claimed.
His family members further said Sahadev had enmity with another family in the village. A minor boy had died of electrocution in October last year. But, the boy’s family had suspected that Sahadev killed him with the help of ‘sorcery’. Both families had a spat over the issue.
The role of the boy’s family in the murder also cannot be ruled out, Sahadev’s family members said.
Police said they are investigating all these angles into the case.
