Finally after 40 long days, the Commissionerate Police late on Monday night arrested Rajendra Barik alias Raju in connection with the murder of contractor Dillip Nayak near Patrapada on the outskirts of the city on June 18.
Briefing reporters here, Twin City Commissioner of Police RP Sharma said a special team led by Zone-III ACP Pratap Kumar Swain conducted a surprise raid on the house of a relative of Barik in Khandapada of Nayagarh district late on Monday night and nabbed him from the backyard of the house.
Dr Sharma said Barik had fled to Raghunath Nagar in Dumduma in the city by a bike after committing the crime. From there, he hired an auto-rickshaw for Rs 600 to Puri where he stayed at the Sterling Holidays Golden Sands Hotel located along the sea beach. To escape arrest, he changed his looks by shaving his beard and hair.
The Commissioner of Police said Barik had moved to several places like Konark, Delang, Kanas, Satapada and Brahmagiri for his hideouts. During his stay at these places, he used to sleep in auto-rickshaws in the night and changed three to four mobile phones and six and seven SIM cards to dodge the police from tracking his hideout.
When police found some clue about Barik’s stay in Puri, he moved to his aunt’s house in Khandapada six days ago. After the arrest, the police seized two mobile phones, three SIM cards, a revolver and two rounds of live bullets from his possession.
Barik was forwarded to a local court on Tuesday. “We will take him on remand for further interrogation. Investigation is still on to nab 22 other accused involved in the case,” said Dr Sharma.
Notably, Barik’s group had killed 35-year-old contractor Nayak by opening fire at him near a construction site behind the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Patrapada under the Khandagiri police station.