The Simulia Police arrested three persons of a family for murdering their family head on Monday and forwarded them to court on Tuesday.
Bhagirathi Behera (59) of Bankapatna village under Khiripada panchayat under Simulia police station limits was killed by the trio due to a family dispute.
The deceased’s body was recovered by police on Monday night when the latter went to the former’s house on a tip-off from the neighbours. The arrested were identified as Basanti Behera (50), Jayant Behera (28) and Jhili Behera (25). Basanti is wife, Jayant is son and Jhiliis daughter-in-law of Bhagirathi.
Deceased Bhagirathi was working in a private jute mill in Kolkata and retired about six months ago. He had got a lump sum amount of Rs 1.6 lakh from the company as retirement benefit.
With the amount, he repaired a small room of his house and also solemnized his son’s marriage with Jhili. The accused trio was pestering him over the rest part of the money. They also tortured him physically and mentally. They did not give him food and as a result, compassionate villagers often fed him at their homes.
Regarding their torture, Bhagirathi had lodged a complaint with local police about five days ago.
The police although called the members to the police station and tried to bring an amicable settlement among them, yet it proved futile. The locals also couldn’t solve their dispute despite intervention.
“The accused persons killed the deceased jointly for money. He was strangulated to death,” Simulia police station IIC Ramesh Singh said.