Bhubaneswar: The body of a 34-year-old youth who had been missing for two days was recovered from a black stone quarry in Chandpur area in Nayagarh this morning. The incident triggered suspicion of a planned murder linked to a family stone crusher business.
The deceased has been identified as Pratap Kumar Pattashani, a resident of Nuapada village under Karanda Tangi panchayat in Nayagarh.
According to reports, Pratap went missing on May 15 evening around 4 PM. On Sunday morning, a woman who had gone to the area spotted the body lying in the black stone quarry and immediately informed the family. Upon reaching the spot, family members found the body in a highly decomposed state, emitting a strong odour.
Family sources and locals suspect that the murder was premeditated and may be linked to Pratap’s father, Nakula Pattashani, who has been operating a stone crusher unit in the area for many years. Police are probing whether business rivalry or a dispute related to the crusher unit is behind the killing.
Chandpur police reached the spot, shifted the body for post-mortem, and detained two suspects for questioning. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact cause of death and identify the culprits.
