Sundargarh/Lefripara: Police arrested seven persons in connection with the loot and murder of a goat trader near Suruguda Tarini temple in Sundargarh district, April 13.
Two two-wheelers, two country-made pistols, six rounds of live cartridges, seven mobile phones, and Rs 9,500 in cash were also seized from their possession.
Addressing a presser here Saturday, Sundargarh SP Pratyush Dibakar informed that the accused have been identified as Sudhir Kisan from Chaunrdhal village under Bhasma police limits, Pramod Majhi, Sujit Majhi, and Pradip Singh from Gudiali village under Rajgangpur police limits, Kheswar Gop and Arun Oram from Gumla in Jharkhand and Mohanty Badaik from Salangabahal under Raiboga police limits.
Reports said, three miscreants on a two-wheeler had followed goat trader Pravat Naik and two of his associates who were going to the Handipani goat bazaar on a motorcycle April 13 morning. They threatened Pravat to stop showing him the pistol near the temple. Failing to stop Pravat, they kicked his motorcycle following which he fell down and tried to escape with the bag containing money. The miscreants fired while Pravat was trying to flee with the money bag killing him on the spot. They looted the money bag which reportedly contained Rs 9 lakh.
Following the incident, Sundargarh SP formed a team headed by SDPO Himanshu Chandra Behera to nab the culprits. The SP told reporters that the incident was pre-planned and the motive of the accused was loot and as Pravat resisted, they fired at him leading to his death. He said that the accused persons had even done a recce before committing the crime.
PNN