Jajpur: In a significant breakthrough, police in Jajpur have cracked a sensational murder case in which a man was shot dead on the night of April 6 near the residence of former MLA Pranab Prakash Das.
Addressing a press conference, Jajpur Superintendent of Police Y. S. Pratap Srimal said that five persons, including the wife of the deceased, have been arrested in connection with the crime. The victim has been identified as Soumya Sagar Samal.
According to police, the main accused, Tapas Kumar Khilar, orchestrated the murder allegedly due to an extra-marital affair and a same-sex relationship angle. Among those arrested are the deceased’s wife Shubhashree Samal, the prime accused’s sister Priti Prabha Priyadarshini, and two individuals accused of supplying the firearm used in the crime.
Police have seized a country-made gun used in the murder, a motorcycle, and seven mobile phones as part of the investigation. The weapon was recovered from the bed of the Baitarani River near the premises of Jajati Keshari Medical College and Hospital.
Senior officers, including SDPO Prashant Kumar Majhi and IIC Sarat Kumar Nayak, were present during the press briefing.
Police said further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events and the exact roles of each accused.
