Post News Network
Mohana, Dec 27: An eerie silence prevailed in Gothakeli village here in Gajapati district Sunday as a majority of the residents fled leaving it deserted a day after police seized the charred remains of three notorious history-sheeters from Lakhari sanctuary.
A forensic team accompanied by Mohana police reached the spot at Lakhari sanctuary for further investigation and sent the cremains for DNA test.
A majority of the houses were found locked in the village Sunday.
Deceased Pradip Sethy, a notorious history-sheeter and his two accomplices Jagannath Reddy and Nandeshu Reddy of Padmanabhapur village in neighbouring Ganjam district had been missing since Wednesday. The remains of their charred bodies were recovered Friday.
It is suspected that a chit fund agent Lochan Behera called Pradip over phone to Gothakeli village where the villagers killed them and later burnt their bodies to destroy evidence. Behera has been missing since police raided the village Saturday and seized the cremains of the three.
Mohana IIC Prasant Bhupati said a manhunt has been launched to trace Behera and others involved in the killing. The arrest of the accused can throw light on the incident, Bhupati added. PNN
