Bhawanipatna: After almost eight months of investigation, the Koksara police claimed to have cracked the murder case of Ganpati Majhi of Aainli village in Kalahandi district with the arrest of four persons on Saturday.
Dharmagarh Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) SN Satpathy, in a press conference yesterday informed that Ganpati was murdered over his alleged relationship with a girl of nearby Uchhula village while four persons were arrested in connection with the incident.
The accused have been identified as girl’s brother-in-law Dasha Naik, uncles Harish Naik and Bhawani Naik and one Rasika Majhi of Aainli village. Rasika, identified as the secretary of Bhatara community of Aainli village, helped the three to conceal the crime, informed the DSP.
The DSP further stated that Rasika had advised Ganpati's father Netramani Majhi to cremate his body without informing the police citing that the cops may trouble them if they come across the incident.
According to sources, Ganjpati went missing on October 6 last year and was later found hanging from a tree the next day near Ranapada village.
"Netramani had noticed injuries on Ganpati's body during cremation and suspecting foul play, he lodged an FIR at Koksara police after one month of the incident following which an investigation was initiated," added Sathpathy.
Further revealing about the incident, Satpathy stated, “Ganpati was working outside and had come to the village to watch a Jatra. He went out with his friends of October 6 last year but did not return after which his family members searched his whereabouts. The four accused called him the same evening and beat him to death. Later, they hanged his body from a tree near Ranpada village.”