Bhubaneswar: A land dispute turned fatal in Torihanbandha village under Balanga police limits in Puri district on Tuesday evening, leaving one man dead and six people in police custody.
The deceased, Amiya Pradhan (46), reportedly had ongoing disagreements with his brothers over ancestral property in the village.
According to reports, the conflict escalated when Amiya clashed with Ashwini Pradhan, son of his elder brother Ajay, over the division of land. Amiya sustained minor injuries in the altercation and lodged a complaint with Balanga police earlier in the day.
The situation turned deadly around 5.30 pm when Amiya was sitting near the Hanuman temple with his driver, Malay Pradhan. Ashwini arrived on a motorcycle with his sister, Gunei Pradhan, and a heated argument ensued. Amiya allegedly slapped Ashwini during the confrontation.
Following Gunei’s screams, Ashwini’s wife Prabhati Pradhan, relative Jitu Swain, and brother-in-law Sanjay Pradhan reportedly attacked Amiya with sharp weapons, fatally injuring him on the spot. Witness Malay Pradhan was threatened but managed to escape unharmed.
Locals rushed Amiya to the District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police later seized the body for a post-mortem.
In a swift operation, six people were arrested in connection with the murder and further investigation is underway.
