Rourkela: Twenty-two days after the gruesome killing of five persons – three women and two men – of a nomad family on the night of October 29, police have cracked the case and arrested six persons. The incident occurred at a nomadic camp near Geeta Pada in Karamdihi under the jurisdiction of Sadar police station.
Addressing the press, DIG (Western Range), Rourkela Brijesh Rai confirmed the arrest of six individuals in connection with the crime. “One suspect was arrested in Karnataka, and the others were apprehended from different locations,” Rai said, adding that more arrests are expected as the investigation continues. He did not disclose the other locations of the arrests.
The arrested suspects have been identified as Santosiya (aka Santosh Bhosle), 45; Jaggesh Bhosle, 25; Lalle Bhosle, 20; Sunil Pawar, 32; Sitara (aka Akbar Pawar), and Sujuguda (aka Intesh Pawar), 35. Apart from Sunil, who is from Karnataka, the others are from Maharashtra.
Rai said that the police tracked the suspects through their phones and eventually located them in different places. “One of the suspects was arrested in Karnataka,” he said, offering few other details about the investigation.
Regarding the motive, the DIG stated that the murders were driven by a combination of money and a complicated marriage. Several years ago, Abinash Pawar killed Manjen Guda, the brother of his wife, Manjika. Manjika had vowed to avenge her brother’s death, and, over time, she became romantically involved with Abinash to exact revenge.
In another twist, Abinash had killed the uncle of Santosh Bhosle in 2019, an act that ultimately linked the two families. Additionally, Abinash had an illicit relationship with the wife of Sakaya Pawar, which led to another plan for his elimination.
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On the night of the murders, the accused, acting under Manjika’s direction, arrived in Karamdihi and killed five people. Abinash, however, managed to escape. The attackers also abducted a woman and two children from the nomadic camp before fleeing the scene.
Authorities later traced the suspects using the phone numbers of those who survived the attack. “We formed several teams to track down the suspects and were able to arrest Sunil in Karnataka, followed by three others. Two more suspects were arrested from different areas,” Rai said. “We will apprehend the remaining suspects soon.”
On the night of the murders, the assailants used sharp weapons to kill five people and injure ten others.
PNN