Prime accused in Odisha Congress candidate murder held

Berhampur: The police Saturday arrested the prime accused in the murder of Congress candidate, Manoj Kumar Jena, who contested from the Aska assembly constituency in the recently held elections in the state, a police officer said.

Jena (46) was killed in Berhampur on May 22, a day before the counting of votes.

Bhagaban Sahu alias Bhalu Sundhi, a resident of Sandhinuapalli under the jurisdiction of Aska police station, was caught by a team of police from Bhubaneswar in the early hours of Saturday, the police officer said.

Sahu, who was identified as the mastermind of the murder, a liquor trader, he said.

He was absconding since the incident occurred, the police officer said.

"We had formed a special team to nab Sahu and at last the team successfully arrested him," the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Berhampur district, Pinak Mishra, said.

According to a police officer, previous enmity and business rivalry was the main motive behind Jena's murder.

Earlier, the police had arrested seven persons for their alleged involvement in the murder.

Jena was killed near Lanjipalli area here, under the jurisdiction of Baidyanathpur police station, while he was going to Aska.