Berhampur: Odisha Police Thursday arrested nine people, including two family members, for their alleged involvement in the abduction and murder of a real estate businessman in Odisha’s Ganjam district, an officer said.
The police arrested the accused persons a day after recovering the highly decomposed body of the victim, identified as Sudhir Kumar Patra (47) of Satyanarayanpur, near Gopalpur, from Ketamani hill under Sorada police station limits.
The arrested persons included Nibedita Patra (23) and Tushar Patra (19), the niece and nephew of the deceased, respectively. They are the main accused in the sensational case, involving kidnapping for ransom, criminal conspiracy, extortion, destruction of evidence and murder, said Niti Sekhar, Inspector General of Police (IGP), southern range, here.
While Nibedita has completed her post-graduation, her brother is studying his second year in BBA, he said.
Preliminary investigation has revealed that the property dispute between the families of the deceased and his brother was the main cause behind the murder, the police said.
The dispute arose after the death of Sudhir’s brother in June last year. Nibedita, the prime accused, along with her brother, engaged contract killers for the murder of Sudhir, the IGP said.
Kalu Charan Pradhan (28), a male friend of Nibedita, assisted her in arranging the contract killers, he said.
The police said the deceased was allegedly kidnapped by the accused persons the evening of April 15 from Dura at gunpoint, while he was returning to his home.
They took him near Mathura in Polasara and then changed the vehicle and took him to Ramapada forest near Buguda. The victim was brutally assaulted with a wooden plank to terrorise him, said Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra, who is also in-charge SP Berhampur.
The assault was recorded on video and sent to his wife, and he demanded a ransom of Rs 2 crore from her, he said.
Due to his severe injuries, Sudhir succumbed at the spot. After his death, they transported the body in the car and threw it near Ketamani hill to conceal evidence and absconded in various places, the police said.
Two cars, a country-made 7.65mm pistol and 14 mobile phones were seized from the accused persons. The accused persons have changed their SIMs frequently during the period, said the SP.
He said that some more persons were also involved in the murder, and a search was on to nab them.`