Sambalpur: A 50-year-old man identified as Radheshyam Khati from Kumbharpada here died late Wednesday night in a case of suspected murder.
His family members, however, have not yet reached a conclusion on whether it was a case of suicide or murder. Sources said police believe it to be a case of murder.
Police broke open Khati’s house and recovered his body in the presence of magistrate-in-charge Pritiparna Mishra. The body was sent to VSS Medical College and Hospital at Burla for post mortem. An unnatural death case was registered.
Police started an investigation on the basis of a complaint lodged by the deceased’s younger brother Lachhman Khati. A forensic team made a spot enquiry, but failed to get any leads.
Town police IIC Pradip Kumar Sahu said the reason behind the death of the youth would be ascertained after getting the post-mortem report.
Khati, an automobile mechanic, lived with his wife Ranjubala and two daughters Ritu (18) and Situ (12) at Sundargarh as Ranjubala was working with the Sundargarh forest division. However, he came to his house at Kumbharpada five months ago and was working in several garages in the town. Ranjubala with their two daughters came to Sambalpur Wednesday and all the family members had dinner together. However, an altercation erupted between Ranjubala and Khati at night, after which she came to her brother-in-law’s house along with her two daughters.
Next morning, some neighbours saw smoke emanating from Khati’s house. Later, a youth working in a garage came to take him to work. As he saw the gate was locked from outside, he tried calling him from the window, but found his half-burnt body lying inside. The youth informed his family.
Town police IIC Sahu, however, said there are no external injuries on his body.
He added that police are facing difficulties in carrying on with the probe as the deceased’s family members are tight-lipped over the issue.
It is suspected that it might be a planned murder by some of his neighbours, while some other sources claimed that it is a mishap that occurred due to a short-circuit. PNN
