Cuttack: Five young men have been arrested and the firearm used in the crime has been seized in connection with the fatal shooting at Press Colony in Cuttack, Deputy Commissioner of Police Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo revealed at a press conference on Friday.
According to police, the incident stemmed from a late-night drinking session that spiralled into violence. Six persons had gathered inside a house in the Press Colony area and were consuming alcohol when what began as casual banter reportedly degenerated into personal attacks and heated exchanges over domestic and family matters.
During the altercation, Utkal Keshari Pasayat, also known as Huku, allegedly took possession of a firearm that had been brought to the house by Nandu alias Abhijit Mohanty. Police said Pasayat later stepped outside with the weapon, where the deceased, Soumya alias Rinku, is alleged to have taunted him, questioning whether he merely carried the gun or knew how to use it. In a sudden escalation, Pasayat allegedly fired at Soumya, critically injuring him.
Investigators revealed that instead of immediately rushing the injured youth to hospital, those present inside the house discussed their next steps. By the time Nandu and Om alias Rudraprasad Chand took Soumya to a nearby private hospital, valuable time had been lost. Police stated that Soumya was still alive while deliberations were taking place inside the house after the firing.
The probe further uncovered that Nandu had been absconding in a separate case registered in Bhubaneswar and had been hiding in the Nuapada area before the incident. After the shooting, a plan was allegedly hatched within the house to manage the fallout, with Nandu being persuaded to take the blame for the murder. The firearm was later concealed inside the house by Podda alias Priyabrat Tripathy, police said.
Acting swiftly, multiple police teams were formed to track down those involved. The five accused arrested so far are Huku alias Utkal Keshari Pasayat, Nandu alias Abhijit Mohanty, Podda alias Priyabrat Tripathy, Baun alias Himanshu Shekhar Nayak and Om alias Rudraprasad Chand. According to the DCP, several of them have prior criminal records.
During the investigation, police seized the firearm used in the crime along with two scooters, one car and several mobile phones believed to be linked to the case. The DCP confirmed that the youths present inside the house at the time of the incident were directly involved in the murder.
The investigation is continuing as police work to piece together the full sequence of events that turned a drunken argument into a fatal act of violence.
