Jharsuguda: Police on Sunday arrested two persons and detained a juvenile for allegedly murdering a 39-year-old man from Jharkhand following a drunken brawl over an old personal dispute in Jharsuguda district. The victim’s body was found by the roadside at Muchbahal under the Belpahad police station limits on July 3 (Friday).
The arrested accused have been identified as Anil Kishan and Dillip Kishan, both residents of Muchbahal under the Belpahad police station. The third accused, a juvenile, has been detained under the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The deceased, Srujan Kumar (39), was a native of Gumla district in Jharkhand. He had been living in Muchbahal for nearly 20 years and was employed as a driver with a private company operating in the Lakhanpur area.
Addressing a press conference, Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Gundala Reddy Raghavendra said the Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) rushed to the spot immediately after receiving information about the incident. The SP also visited the crime scene, following which a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted to investigate the case.
The investigation, aided by CCTV footage, technical evidence and witness statements, revealed that Srujan and the accused had consumed alcohol together on the night of July 2 (Thursday). During the gathering, an argument reportedly broke out over an old personal dispute.
According to police, the accused allegedly assaulted Srujan with stones and wooden sticks, inflicting fatal injuries. They fled the spot after the attack, leaving the victim by the roadside.
Police said the breakthrough came after investigators analysed technical evidence and developed intelligence inputs, leading to the arrest of the two adult accused. The juvenile involved in the crime was apprehended separately in accordance with the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act.
The investigating team also recovered the stones and wooden sticks allegedly used in the murder.
Further investigation is underway.
