Odisha: Brothers murder sister’s former boyfriend

KENDRAPARA: Police on Monday detained two brothers on charges of killing their sister’s former boyfriend who had threatened to post some intimate photos of the girl on social media in order to ruin her marriage prospects. The detained persons are Raja Sahoo and Babula Sahoo of Damarapur village in Pattamundai. On the day, the body of 25-year-old victim Rasmiranjan Das was recovered by police on the river embankment near Damarapur within Pattamundai police limits. Rasmiranjan’s family members had launched a frantic search for him after he went missing on Sunday night. Locals first spotted Rasmiranjan’s body and immediately informed police.

The body bore several injury marks inflicted with sharp weapons while the throat was also slashed. After recovery of the body, Rasmiranjan’s father Ramakanta Das lodged an FIR with the police and alleged that there was a love angle behind the the murder of his son. Raja, Babula and other relatives of a girl, with whom Rasmiranjan had an affair, murdered his son, the complaint stated. Police sources said the deceased youth had a love affair with a village girl. But recently, the girl spurned his marriage offer. When the girl’s family members fixed her marriage with another person, Rasmiranjan, an auto-rickshaw driver, threatened to post intimate pictures of the girl on social media. Fearing that their sister’s marriage prospects may be jeopardised, the brothers killed Rasmiranjan on Sunday night and dumped his body near the river embankment.

“During interrogation, Raja and Babula have confessed to their crime,” said Pattamundai IIC Pramod Mallick. Family members of the girl were opposed to her relationship with Rasmiranjan as both belonged to different castes. Police suspect involvement of more persons in the brutal murder. More arrests will be made in the case, Mallick added. A case under Section 302 of the IPC was registered and the body sent to the district headquarters h o s p i t a l f o r post-mortem.