Serious crime like murder is committed in Keonjhar over sorcery, quarrel over petty matters and theft. In all these cases, the accused are no professional criminals or habitual culprits.
Recently, the Sadar police arrested three brothers in connection with murdering a couple in Khuntakata village in Banpal block.
The reason behind the murder was over stealing 12 kg rice and some cash. Fakir Sethy, Uma Setty, Akshaya Setty had stolen the rice and `1,200 from a crusher camp. But Nilu Naik (55) and his wife Kasturi Naik working as night watchman saw them while committing the theft.
Fearing to be caught by police, they killed the couple with an axe and threw them in an isolated well. After investigations, the police recovered the bodies after 20 days of the incident.
In another case, Surendra Nath Behera(28), a resident of Birabarpur village under Town PS, burnt his father Rabindranath alive just for the reason that he refused to give him `100 for buying liquor. The police arrested the accused.