Rayagada: The district police including a scientific team led by Rayagada SP Saravana Vivek M Tuesday afternoon retrieved the skeleton of a youth who was allegedly murdered three months ago in connection with a love affair and as an act of honour killing.
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The deceased was identified as Manoranjan Baliarsingh whom the arrested accused had shot dead. Later, they had clandestinely buried him in an inaccessible cave inside the dense forest of Andhalima under Chandrapur police limits in Rayagada district.
Along with seizure of the skeleton, police have arrested Raghunath Bhata of Panakabadi village under Gudari police limits, Nakula Dandasena of Sindhipanga village under Bissamcuttack police limits and Ganeswar Sahu of Hanumantpur village under Chandrapur police limits, Rayagada district police sources informed.
Notably, the murdered youth belonged to Kotagad of Kandhamal district and was in love with the sister of accused Nakula Dandasena following which the Dandasena family got infuriated and strongly objected to the love affair.
Manoranjan used to visit the village very often. Irked by that, Nakula decided to bump him off for which a plot was hatched amongst him and his two accomplices.
As per the conspiracy, the three arrested had persuaded Manoranjan to Andhalia jungle, 30km away. They first shot him dead with a hunter gun and then had chopped his body with a sharp weapon. Subsequently, they buried the body inside a cave in the jungle.
When Manoranjan did not return to his native place for many days, his elder brother Niranjan Baliarsingh lodged a missing complaint with the Bissamcuttack police September 18. The murder mystery could be cracked during the course of investigation.
All the three arrested have been forwarded to a local court while further investigation is underway, the district police expressed.
PNN