Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A financial dispute within a family has ended in a gruesome murder in Odisha’s Ganjam district, where a local real estate businessman was kidnapped, tortured and killed in a conspiracy allegedly involving his niece, her brother and her lover.
The victim, identified as Sudhir Patra, was kidnapped on the evening of April 15 while returning home after attending a volleyball match on the outskirts of Berhampur. When he did not return home, his family lodged a missing complaint with police.
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A week later, his decomposed body was recovered from a forested area near Sorada. Due to the advanced stage of decomposition, the family identified him primarily through his clothing.
A police investigation has now revealed that the murder was allegedly masterminded by Sudhir’s niece, Nivedita Patra, along with her boyfriend Kalu Pradhan and her brother Tushar Patra. Authorities said the plan also involved hired criminals from outside Odisha.
According to Ganjam Superintendent of Police, the motive stemmed from a mix of financial disputes and personal suspicion within the family. After the death of Nivedita’s father, a prominent businessman, tensions escalated over inheritance and property division.
Officials said that Nivedita and her brother believed they had been financially sidelined by Sudhir Patra in property-related dealings. She also allegedly suspected that her uncle was involved in occult practices responsible for her father’s death, further deepening resentment within the family.
Police said the accused initially planned to kidnap Sudhir for ransom and later attempted to extort money from his family.
On April 15, the kidnappers intercepted Sudhir and forced him into a Bolero car. When the vehicle developed a technical fault, he was shifted to another car and taken to a secluded location near a temple in the Baliguda area. There, the accused allegedly spent the night drinking and eating before assaulting Sudhir with sticks and iron rods.
During the incident, ransom calls were made to the victim’s family. The assault continued into the early hours of April 16, resulting in Sudhir’s death. His body was later dumped along an unpaved stretch near the Baliguda–Koraput route before the accused fled towards Chhattisgarh.
Police said the group faced multiple vehicle breakdowns during their escape and briefly sought help from locals while trying to evade arrest.
Officials confirmed that nine people have been arrested so far in connection with the case, including family members and hired accomplices from outside the state.
“A total of nine accused have been apprehended. The investigation is in its final stage and further arrests are likely,” said Ganjam SP.
Police said that the case was cracked with assistance from local intelligence units and police teams from other states, including Gujarat, as some of the accused had travelled outside Odisha after the crime.
Interrogation of the arrested accused is underway as officials reconstruct the complete sequence of events leading to the murder.
– Ends
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
