Four of family killed by relative over land row in Bargarh village

Sambalpur: Four members of a family, including two children, were allegedly beaten to death with a crowbar by a relative over a land dispute in Jhikjhiki village under Bhatli police station of Bargarh district on Monday night.
The incident came to light on Tuesday after the accused revealed the details to a village ward member.
The deceased were identified as Gurudeb Bag (55), his wife Sibagri Bag (48), their son Chudamani (15) and daughter Shrabani (10). Accused Siba Bag (58), uncle of Gurudeb, has been detained.
Sources said that after killing the four with a crowbar, the accused kept the bodies in a room and locked it from outside. However, the crime did not come to light until the accused revealed the details to the ward member. After police got information, they went to the spot and found the four bodies lying in a pool of blood.
Sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Bargarh, Amrit Panda said there was an ongoing dispute between Siba and Gurudeb over land distribution for around eight years. “A meeting of the villagers had also taken place on Monday to resolve the dispute between the two. However, the murders took place some hours after the meeting got over. A case has been registered in connection with the incident and the accused has been detained. Further investigation into the incident is under way,” he said.
“For the past three days, Gurudeb had been threatening to kill my husband Siba. He was also carrying a sharp weapon when he threatened him. We were living in fear. The murders took place when I had gone to take a bath,” said Siba’s wife Parbati.
This is the third such crime reported in Bargarh district within the past one year. On October 30, 2022, the decomposed bodies of four persons a family — father, mother, son and daughter — were found in a house in Jandol village under Bheden police station. On April 18 this year, the bodies of three persons — a man and his two wives — were found in their house in Akhiphuta village under the same Bheden police station.