Bhubaneswar, May 11 Multiple incidents of violence once again rocked Odisha amid concerns raised by Opposition parties over the deteriorating law and order situation across the state.
On Monday afternoon, a man was stabbed to death following a road rage incident in the Belpahar area of Odisha’s Jharsuguda district.
Speaking to the media, Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police G.R. Raghavendra said a road rage incident near the Gandhi Nagar area of Belpahar in Jharsuguda district escalated into a fatal assault at around 2 p.m. on Monday, resulting in the death of a bike rider.
The main accused, Chand Banchhor and Babu Banchhor, had come to visit their relative Rinki Banchhor’s house on Sunday.
While returning to Burla in Sambalpur district along with Pradeep Banchhor and Puspa Banchhor in a hired four-wheeler, their vehicle reportedly collided with the two-wheeler of the victims, Akash Sahoo and Rahul Mahato, triggering a heated argument.
In a fit of rage, Chand and Babu allegedly took out a sharp weapon from the vehicle and attacked the duo.
Critically injured, Mahato was rushed to a nearby Community Health Centre, where doctors declared him dead, while Sahoo was shifted to the Jharsuguda District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.
Police detained three accused -- Pradeep, Puspa and driver Chudamani Kalet -- while the prime accused, Chand and Babu, remain absconding.
In another heart-wrenching incident, a 38-year-old man, Ajit Kumar Sahoo of Odagaon in Nayagarh district, was allegedly murdered by members of a stone mafia group during the early hours of Monday.
Police sources said that during the investigation it was ascertained that the deceased, Ajit, and his friend Santosh Kumar Pradhan of Odagaon had intercepted two 407 trucks loaded with laterite stone pieces at Kadalibandh at around 12.50 a.m., allegedly to extort money and settle a dispute between the two sides.
Soon, Purnachandra Nayak of Odagaon, owner of one of the trucks, reached the spot.
During discussions between the truck owner and the victims, several other accused persons also arrived there.
The two groups engaged in a heated argument that soon turned violent.
During the scuffle, one accused allegedly pulled out a sword from a Bolero vehicle while another restrained Ajit by the neck.
As he fell to the ground, the accused repeatedly attacked him with the sword, causing grievous injuries and severing his right hand from the wrist.
Following Ajit’s death, locals became agitated and staged a road blockade, demanding strict police action in the case as well as a crackdown on illegal stone quarrying activities.
Police have so far arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in the case.
Several other incidents of violence were also reported from different parts of the state on Monday.
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