Kolkata/Bhubaneswar: Kolkata Police Wednesday arrested two persons from neighbouring Odisha for their alleged involvement in the murder of a young man in a hotel in the metropolis, an officer said.
The two accused, identified as Shashikant Behera and Santosh Behera, were nabbed from Sambalpur.
“We are trying to determine the motive behind the killing. The duo is being questioned,” he said, adding they would be brought to West Bengal on transit remand.
Last week, the body of one person, identified as Rahul Lal, was found in a storage compartment in a hotel room in the Park Street area of Kolkata.
Preliminary investigation suggested he was strangled to death with a bedsheet.
Investigators linked the killing to Sambalpur through leads from the deceased’s Aadhaar card and mobile phone number.
Lal had a criminal background and was previously arrested for theft and fraud, he said.
“Multiple cases were registered against him at the Park Street police station. He was allegedly involved in selling stolen goods, including antique items, to interstate smuggling networks for hefty profits,” he said.
Police suspect that Lal had recently acquired a valuable stolen artifact and had arranged a meeting with members of an Odisha-based smuggling ring to negotiate its sale.
“The hotel room was booked for that meeting. Investigators suspect he was murdered and the artifact stolen. A search is on to trace the item and identify others involved in the crime,” he added.
PTI
