Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Monday arrested the main accused and mastermind behind the sensational Sarakantara murder case. The accused has been identified as Sadasiba Pradhan alias Shiba.
Earlier, police had arrested four other persons in connection with the case — Sukanta Pradhan, Shubhendu Pradhan, Rakesh Khuntia, and Subrat Sahu.
“In the Sarakantara murder case, in which AIIMS-Bhubaneswar lab assistant Sudhanshu Khuntia alias Rabi (25) was shot dead, we had earlier arrested four persons and forwarded them to court. The main accused, Shiba, who fired the gun, had been absconding after the incident. Today, a team from the Khandagiri Police Station apprehended him from the Hansapal-Balianta area. He will be forwarded to court today,” said Sub-Division III ACP Tapas Ch. Pradhan while briefing the media.
The ACP further informed that police have seized the accused’s mobile phone, along with a video showing Shiba practicing with the gun at his residence prior to the crime.
“This evidence will be submitted in court. The murder was pre-planned, motivated by a long-standing land dispute between the accused and the victim that had been ongoing for nearly six years. Both also frequented the same gym, where frequent altercations occurred,” the ACP added.
The incident occurred on October 13, around 9 am, when Sudhanshu Khuntia was commuting to work on his motorcycle from Sarakantara village. He was chased by Shiba and his accomplice on another two-wheeler. About 3 km from AIIMS, Khuntia was shot twice in the thigh, causing him to fall from his bike.
In a desperate attempt to escape, Khuntia ran towards a nearby house, but Shiba caught up with him and fired two more rounds — one hitting his chest — killing him on the spot. The Khandagiri Police rushed the victim to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, where doctors declared him brought dead.
