Bhubaneswar: The main accused in the death of Ramadevi Women’s University Plus-III second year student Jharaphula Nayak, has confessed that he was in a relationship with the deceased. During his interrogation at the police station, accused Rakesh Swain said that he was in love with the girl. Rakesh said that he had met Jharaphula at Jashipur village in Mayurbhanj district. Jharaphula was staying at her residence due to the COVID-19 induced lockdown while Rakesh was engaged in the laying of underground pipes during that period in the same village.
After lockdown restrictions were lifted, Jharapula used to meet Rakesh whenever she visited the state capital. Both used to hangout for prolonged periods.
Rakesh was arrested Thursday night by a special squad of Commissionerate Police from a place in Sundarpada locality. Initially he was detained as a suspect, but during interrogation he gave some vital information after which police arrested him.
Rakesh told the police that Jharaphula had boarded a bus to go to Jashipur from Jaydev Vihar. However, she got down at Vani Vihar Square and from there walked to Rupali Chowk where Rakesh was waiting for her on a two-wheeler.
The two then checked into a hotel for the night and Rakesh told the police they got very intimate. Late in the night according to Rakesh, he woke up and found Jharaphula unconscious. He said he panicked and called up his friend Shekhar to help him out. Rakesh said that when they took Jharaphula out with them on the two-wheeler she was still unconscious. Midway through the journey, the two realised that the girl had died and then they dumped her body near Kuakhia in Jajpur district.
Police have launched a hunt to locate Shekhar. They are also trying to ascertain the exact time of Jharaphula’s death.
PNN