Post News Network
Bhabanieswar, Jan 29: Police Thursday claimed to unravel the mystery behind Tuesday’s Bharatpur triple murder with the arrest of a man who has reportedly confessed to the murders of the trio, one of who is his grandmother.
According to Commissionerate Police, Shiv Prasad Panda alias Bhabani (28), a resident of Kapila Prasad, was at loggerheads with Chakradhar Sahoo (65) and his second wife Sukanti Sahoo (48), over the ownership transfer of a 600 sq ft plot of land on which the couple lived. Bhabani would often come and get into heated arguments with the couple on the issue. Bhabani’s grandmother Shantilata Pati (70), who also lived on a plot of 600 ft a few yards away from the couple’s house, disapproved openly of her grandson’s behaviour. Bhabani was after Shantilata’s plot too.
On Republic Day, Bhabani went to his grandmother’s place. The next day at about 2:30 pm, Bhabani barged into Sahoo’s house and got into a fight with Sukanti. In a fit of anger, he assaulted Sukanti with an axe. Sukanti died on the spot. Her husband Chakradhar was not at home at that time as he had gone out to fetch groceries.
He went back to his grandmother’s home axe in hand and locked the door from inside. He then assaulted Shantilata killing her on the spot. When Chakradhar returned home at around 3:30 pm, Bhabani attacked him with the axe in a similar manner, killing him too on the spot.
According to police commissioner Rajendra Sharma, the accused fled the scene immediately after killing Chakradhar Sahoo and discarded the axe along the way. “Our priority now is to locate the weapon of offence,” Sharma said.
Briefing the media, Sharma said Bhabani was spotted Wednesday night near Kantia panchayat jungle. The accused was arrested in a joint operation by Khandagiri and Jatni police Thursday.
In 2009, Bhabani had eloped with Sumi Sahoo, granddaughter of deceased Chakradhar Sahoo, and later married her. They lived in Retanga village under Tamando police station. During this period, Bhabani would often go to Sumi’s house and ask her grandparents to transfer the land in his name. There have been several quarrels among them in the past, police said.
The commissioner said it was also ascertained that the accused was earlier involved in a robbery case registered at Khandagiri police station.
