Jharsuguda: Police arrested three individuals on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the murder of a man during an attempted robbery near Kelendamal Road in the Kolabira police area on December 19.
The accused—Gourab Singh (23), Narendra Singh (26), and Bablu Kisan (23)—are accused of killing 37-year-old Santosh Naik from Nuapalli village in Jharsuguda while trying to steal his motorcycle.
According to reports, the incident was reported by Kishore Naik, who filed a complaint stating that his brother Santosh was murdered by unidentified assailants on the night of December 19. He claimed the attack occurred near Kelendamal Road using a sharp weapon. The police then registered a case based on the complaint, filed on December 20.
Following the complaint, Jharsuguda SP directed the formation of a special team. Under the supervision of Jharsuguda Sub-divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Umashankar Singh and IIC Laikera Police Station, along with the Kolabira police team, the officers conducted raids, analysed call records, and gathered intelligence.
The investigation revealed that Santosh was heading to Jharsuguda when his motorcycle tire punctured. While waiting for help on Kelendamal Road, he was spotted by two of the accused. The number of the accused later increased to four when Santosh asked for help from the two who noticed him alone. They then called another accomplice to steal his motorcycle. The four arrived, with two guarding the road while the other two attempted to take the bike at knifepoint. When Santosh resisted, one of the accused stabbed him fatally. The group fled with the motorcycle and other belongings but later abandoned the stolen bike upon realizing that Santosh had died.
“During the investigation, we seized the TVS Apache bike, as well as the Hero Honda bike used by the accused. The knife used in the crime was also seized. Three of the accused will be produced in court on Thursday, while one suspect is still on the run. We will catch the remaining accused soon, as the investigation is ongoing,” said Jharsuguda SDPO Umashankar Singh.
