Baripada: In a shocking incident, an elderly man was beaten to death by his grandson who was in an inebriated state at Dantiamuha under Betnoti police limits in Mayurbhanj district, Monday.
The accused, identified as Ramchandra Dehury, 25, is the grandson of deceased Benudhar Dehury, 70.
A habitual drinker, Ramachandra would come home drunk and pick up a fight with family members.
As usual, he had gone out with his friends and returned home Sunday evening after consuming country liquor. He then started a fight with his grandmother Rama Dehury when she asked him to mend his ways.
In a fit of rage, he attacked the elderly woman and beat her up. Things took an ugly turn after his grandfather Benudhar, 70, intervened. Losing his cool, he thrashed the elderly person mercilessly with a wooden plank. As Benudhar collapsed, Ramachandra strangled him to death.
Hearing the commotion, neighbours rushed to the spot and overpowered him. However, Benudhar had died by then. Locals tied him to a pole and thrashed him before informing the police.
On receipt of information, a police team reached the village and launched a probe. The body was seized and sent for autopsy.
The incident spread tension in the village as women blamed illegal sale of liquor as the main reason of domestic feuds and rise in criminal activities.
Acting on a complaint by the elderly woman, police registered a case of murder and arrested Ramchandra.
“I was drunk and couldn’t control myself. I beat him up out of anger, but didn’t want to kill him,” Ramchandra confessed. A further probe is on, police said.
PNN