Two held for murder of Bhubaneswar businessman

Bhubaneswar : The police have finally cracked the murder case of a city businessman with the arrest of two persons, including the prime accused who's a close associate of the deceased, Sanjeeb Panda, Commissioner of Police (Bhubaneswar and Cuttack), said here on Tuesday.

The accused persons have been identified as Bunty Digal (27) from Birmaharajpur in Subarnapur district, and Bijaya Ku Nayak (37) from Daringbadi in Kandhamal district.

The prime accused, Bunty, used to be a close associate of the deceased, Nabaghana Pattasahani alias Banka, and was staying at a lodge in the Ghatikia area of Bhubaneswar, while Bijaya was staying in the Dumduma area of the city.

“Bunty used to look after the maintenance of the vehicles owned by the deceased who had promised him to pay a certain amount every month which he didn’t. Pattasahani also reportedly misbehaved with Bunty a few days ago. On July 19, Bunty called Pattasahani to his lodge where he killed him with a knife,” said Sanjeeb Panda.

Police sources revealed that Bunty was planning to open a restaurant in Bhubaneswar for which he needed money. He had taken loans to the tune of Rs 3.5 lakh from a group of persons who used to ask for repayment regularly.

Bunty, who was under severe mental pressure, had requested Pattasahani to pay him the promised amount which the deceased denied and even misbehaved with him. So he hatched a plan to take revenge.

Bunty killed Pattasahani by slitting his throat and later disposed of the body in a river at Govidpur in Cuttack district on the night of July 19. He also threw the murder weapon and other articles in a canal on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

While probing a missing report filed by the deceased’s wife, the police on July 26 traced his four-wheeler to a person named Subrat who revealed that the vehicle was given to the debtors by Bunty as surety till he made repayment.

Following the lead, the police arrested Bunty and Bijay, the driver of the vehicle in which the body of Pattasahani was disposed of.

The duo was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday.