Balugaon (Khordha): Balugaon Police have cracked a murder case involving a server at a roadside eatery, arresting two accused and reconstructing the crime scene as part of the investigation.
The victim, identified as Papu Dalabehera, a speech-impaired man from Ekadalia village under Banpur police limits in Khordha district, was working as a server at Panda Dhaba in the Balugaon area. He was allegedly murdered after his throat was slit with a knife.
According to police, the main accused, Shantanu Pradhan of Mangarajpur village, carried out the murder, while the dhaba owner, Manoranjana Behera of Bidharpur village, assisted in concealing evidence. After the killing, the accused allegedly shifted the body from the crime spot and dumped it elsewhere to mislead investigators.
During the probe, police seized the knife used in the crime and a blood-stained towel (gamucha). A crime scene recreation was also conducted following the arrest of the accused to establish the sequence of events.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the murder was triggered by a dispute over a mobile phone.
Both accused have been taken into custody, and further investigation is underway, police said.
