Bhubaneswar: A 50-year-old man allegedly murdered his friend late Friday night at Nuagaon village under Deogarh police station limits in Deogarh district.
The deceased has been identified as Ratan Pradhan (50), while the accused, Panchanan Suhula (50), surrendered before police soon after the incident.
According to reports, Ratan and two of his friends — Swapneswar Dehury and Sunil Bhanja — were consuming alcohol near Panchanan’s residence. A heated altercation broke out among them around midnight. Angered by the disturbance, Panchanan reportedly invited the trio into his house. Once inside, he allegedly attacked Ratan with a machete, killing him on the spot. The other two managed to escape.
Panchanan later surrendered at Deogarh police station and handed over the murder weapon. During initial interrogation, he reportedly claimed that he killed Ratan as a ritualistic offering to appease deities at his home.
Soon after the incident, angry villagers gathered at the accused’s house and vandalised the property.
Police have been deployed in the area to prevent any further unrest. An investigation is underway.
