Jajpur: In a significant breakthrough, the police Monday cracked the sensational murder case of a youth who was shot dead in Odisha’s Jajpur district April 6, arresting five persons, including the deceased’s wife, informed Yashpratap Shrimal, Superintendent of Police, Jajpur district.
The accused were identified as the deceased Soumya Sagar Samal’s wife, Subhasree Behera alias Sima; her alleged lover-cousins, prime accused Tapas Kumar Khilar (26) and Priti Prava Priyadarsini Khilar alias Chinu—all three from Jajpur district; and the suppliers of the firearms used in the murder, Suraj Singh (27) and Ankit Thakur (27), both from Sundargarh district.
On the night of April 6, when the deceased Samal was returning to his rented house at Kalimegha after closing his chicken shop at Gariapur Chhak in Jajpur town, a bike-borne miscreant opened fire on him, leaving him seriously injured with bullet wounds. The injured was rushed to the Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Speaking to media persons, the Jajpur SP said the police formed three teams to investigate the matter, considering the sensitivity of the case. Shrimal further revealed that the prime accused, Tapas, who works as a driver in Rourkela, and the suppliers of the murder weapon, Singh and Thakur, were arrested from their hideout in Rourkela in Sundargarh district.
As per the police, the accused wife, Subhasree, who worked at a beauty parlour, had been in a relationship with the co-accused, Priti, for a long time, even before her love marriage to the deceased around 18 months ago.
During her frequent visits to Priti’s residence, Subhasree also reportedly came into contact with Priti’s cousin and prime accused, Tapas, and developed a relationship with him.
Subhasree allegedly continued to maintain relationships with both cousins even after her marriage. She also visited various places with Tapas without informing her husband. Persuaded by Tapas, the accused wife also tried to divorce the deceased Soumya, who opposed the suggestion.
A few days after the marriage, the deceased husband Soumya reportedly came to know about the alleged triangular relationship involving his wife Subhasree, Priti, and Tapas. He vehemently opposed it and threatened all of them to desist from such activities, but to no avail.
On March 4, Soumya had a tussle with the prime accused, Tapas, over the issue and also questioned his cousin’s character, allegedly prompting Tapas to take the decision to kill him. Subsequently, he procured a country-made pistol and received training from the accused Suraj and Ankit with a payment of around Rs 49,000, made by Priti.
As per the plan, Tapas, acting on information provided by Subhasree and Priti about the victim’s movements, opened fire on Soumya April 6, resulting in his death.
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