The prime accused in the case of abduction of Bheden block chairperson’s husband shot himself dead on Friday fearing arrest by police.
The deceased Prem Behera was the main accused in the kidnapping of Antaryami Pradhan, husband of Bheden block chairperson Sujata Pradhan.
Sources said the police had laid a trap to apprehend a group of four miscreants including Prem who were travelling by a car. The cops intercepted the car (OD02 AS 3256) near Patnagarh in the district.
While three of the occupants surrendered to the police, Prem shot himself on his head fearing arrest by the cops.
“The accused Behera shot himself dead while the police tried to arrest him. Three of his associates have been taken into custody. Two others were held earlier in this connection taking the number of total arrests to five. We are interrogating them,” Baragarh Superintendent of Police Jugal Kishore said.
Antaryami, a teacher was abducted on November 24, 2016 while he was on his way to school at Jhilminda. However, he was freed after two days of the incident. The Bargarh police had rescued him from Kantabanji in Balangir district.