It was not land dispute alone, rather business rivalry and one-upmanship over the other were also the causes which led to Friday’s triple murder at Safipur under the Kandarpur police station located on the outskirts of the city. This was revealed by Twin City Commissioner of Police RP Sharma here on Saturday after visiting the spot.
Sharma said two separate cases have been registered in this connection, each filed by the rival factions. Investigations into both the cases are on simultaneously and at least three persons from both the factions are arrested. “While one person is detained by the police for questioning, two others are absconding,” he said, adding that efforts are on to nab the absconders soon.
Sharma said one Ranjit Beura of the Cuttack Chauliagang area along with his associates Deepak Ojha, Sanjay Swain, Situ Mohanty and Bablu Biswal came to Safipur in a vehicle equipped with sharp weapons.Ranjit also had a house in the same village and he sent two of his associates to one Kedar Naik’s house located nearby summoning all four sons of Kedar, a rich and affluent villager.
“When the sons of Kedar refused to come to Ranjit’s place, an irate Ranjit along with his associates in an inebriated state rushed to Kedar’s house armed with swords and other weapons. But Kedar and his sons managed to overpower the assailants, snatched their weapons and launched a counter-offensive attacking Ranjit and his associates killing three of them and injuring the rest,” Sharma said, adding that Kedar and one of his sons, Bijay, also sustained injuries in the scuffle.
Police retrieved the bodies of Ranjit (42), his associates Sanjay (25) and Deepak (25) from the spot and Situ and Bablu, who escaped from the spot with injuries in their bodies are now undergoing treatment under police watch. Similarly, Kedar and his son Bijay are also undergoing treatment after they were arrested.While one other son of Kedar is now detained by the police, two others are absconding.