Bolangir: A 25-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by his friends following a dispute over sharing liquor during a gathering at a village in Bolangir district, police said Saturday. The incident occurred Friday night at Rinbachan under the Bolangir Sadar police station limits.
The deceased was identified as Deepak Naik, a resident of the village. According to reports, Deepak and a few of his friends were drinking together in the village when an argument broke out over the sharing of liquor pouches.
The dispute soon escalated into a violent clash, during which one of his friends allegedly assaulted him with a stick. Deepak did not return home late at night, prompting his father to send his younger son to look for him. The younger brother later found Deepak being beaten in a field by a man identified as Durga Prasad Behera, also known as Ilu, a resident of the same village.
On seeing him, the accused reportedly fled the spot. Police detained seven persons for questioning. Meanwhile, the family members of the deceased have lodged a written complaint at the police station, alleging that Durga Prasad Behera had taken Deepak from his house and assaulted him with a stick, leading to his death.
Bolangir Sadar police station officer-in-charge Raj Kumar Biswal said the prime suspect has been detained and is being questioned. Further investigation into the incident is ongoing.
