Kuchinda/Sohela: The celebration of Nuakhai was muted following the twin murders of a man and a youth in separate incidents in Sambalpur and Bargarh districts Thursday. In the first incident, Krupasindhu Raksha, 70, of Charbhati village under Kuchinda police limits in Sambalpur district was allegedly punched to death by his son Bibardhan Raksha, 23, over a dispute involving Rs 70. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 70 from his father for festival expenses, and when denied, he pushed him to the ground and punched on his face and back repeatedly, leaving Krupasindhu dead on the spot.
The incident occurred when the family members were busy preparing for the festival. The victim’s daughter raised the alarm, alerting relatives and residents. She also informed Kuchinda police, who registered a case (249/25), and arrested Bibardhan. IIC Bamadev Sankhuala said, “A scientific team from Sambalpur has been pressed into service. The accused will be produced in court Friday.” Bibardhan stood near his father’s body for some time before fleeing the scene when the cops approached. He was later arrested during raids in nearby areas, said the police. The incident cast a pall of gloom on Charbhati where the happiness of the residents received a jolt during Nuakhai. In another incident, a 24-year-old youth was hacked to death in broad daylight Thursday at a petrol pump in Haldipali under Sohela police limits of Bargarh district over suspected past enmity.
Police said the victim, identified as Balishtha Pradhan of Haldipali, was attacked with an axe while sitting at the pump and scrolling through his phone around 11:15am. The assailant, Lipu Sahu, 24, alias Lipan of Garbhana village under Sohela police limits, allegedly attacked him with the weapon repeatedly from the rear before fleeing the scene. Profusely bleeding, Pradhan was rushed to a private hospital in Bargarh in critical condition, where doctors pronounced him dead.
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His body was later sent to the district headquarters hospital for a post-mortem. Police arrested Sahu from his home and registered a case. Investigators said CCTV footage from the petrol pump showed the accused delivering as many as 16 blows to the victim. Residents blocked the traffic on the national highway near Haldipali Square around 3pm, burning tyres and wooden logs, demanding the death penalty for the accused. On being informed, police officials, including Additional SP Indurekha Paschimakabat, Padmapur SDPO Pandav Sabar, Bargarh SDPO Padarabinda Tripathy, and another officer, Sourav Ota, rushed to the spot. As talks failed, police dispersed the protesters and cleared the road around 4 pm.
