Two main accused held in Dehradun

BERHAMPUR: A month-and-half after BJD leader and sitting councillor of Chhatrapur NAC Laxmidutta Pradhan was hacked to death in broad daylight, police on Saturday nabbed the two main accused, who were at large since last September, from Dehradun. They are BJP leader Krushna Chandra Nayak and N Duryadhan Reddy. Speaking to mediapersons, Ganjam SP Asish Singh said the accused will be brought on seven-day remand to Berhampur for interrogation.

After the crime, the duo had managed to escape to Cuttack on a taxi and later, they went to Kharagpur in West Bengal before staying in Dehradun. During their stay, the duo were in touch with some BJP leaders and their calls were traced, he added. Police had formed three teams to nab the killers while two Additional SPs, three SDPOs and five Inspectors were investigating into the matter.

While two teams were engaged in search operation outside the State, another squad continued the drive inside the State. So far, the police have arrested 17 persons, including the duo, in four phases. Earlier, eight persons were arrested from different places in Bhubaneswar.  

On September 16, Laxmidutta was engaged in a discussion with some youths in front of his house when a group of armed men attacked the BJD leader and brutally hacked him to death. The murder was captured on CCTV camera.The murder had triggered a State-wide uproar. The BJD leaders, including Chhatrapur MLA and elected representatives, had  pointed fingers at the BJP for the murder.

Three held with 177 kg ganja 
Excise sleuths under the supervision of Ganjam district Superintendent Rajendra Kumar Bhadra seized 177 kg of ganja and arrested three persons from two different places in the district on Saturday. The mobile squad of excise department detained an autorickshaw near Digapahandi and during verification, the officials found 171 kg of cannabis. The sleuths arrested Dillip Kumar Adhikari and Mathus Naik of Mohana in Gajapati district. Later, the excise officials nabbed a person from Dengausta village and seized 6 kg ganja from his possession. The arrested was identified as Ahasa Karad of R Udayagiri. The seized narcotic would cost J9 lakh, said the officials.