Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police Tuesday took two minors into custody for their involvement in murder of a 20-year-old B.Sc student and his father at Kolathia under Khandagiri Police Station limits during the early hours of Monday. According to the police, the accused minors are 17 and 16 years old and are studying in class XII and X.
Noteworthy, after the victim Krushna Chandra Padhi (20) died at the hospital, his father Himanshu Padhi (54), who was undergoing treatment, succumbed to his injuries Tuesday morning.
During a presser, Twin City police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh informed that Krushna had become acquainted with a girl while attending coaching classes at Khandagiri and had allegedly been proposing and harassing her even after she rejected his advances. Police said the accused duo were students of the same coaching centre and were known to both the deceased and the girl. The girl had reportedly approached the accused juveniles, expressing distress over the alleged harassment and requesting them to intervene. About three weeks before the incident, the minors allegedly confronted Krushna near Kharavela Park and asked him to stop harassing the girl. Police alleged that Krushna assaulted them during the confrontation and threatened them with dire consequences. Investigators believe the confrontation triggered the alleged retaliation.
According to police, the accused minors planned the attack, scaled the boundary wall of the Padhi residence during the intervening night of June 28 and 29 carrying iron rods and chilli powder. They broke open the main entrance and attacked Krushna. When his father and sister intervened, they too were assaulted. During the investigation, police seized two iron rods used in the offence, bottles containing chilli powder, clothing worn by the accused, a mobile phone and other articles. The police conducted a scene recreation at the crime spot after detaining the minors. Further investigation into the matter is underway, informed the police.