Jharaphula Murder: Third Accused Arrested From Bhubaneswar

Jajpur: The police on Thursday claimed to have arrested a third accused in the murder of Ramadevi Women’s University student Jharaphula Nayak whose body was found dumped by roadside near Kuakhia in Jajpur district in January this year.

Jajpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul PR said that the third accused identified as Shaktisekhar Swain, who was absconding since the incident, had been arrested from Bhubaneswar.

 The police had earlier arrested two accused including the boyfriend of the deceased, while the third accused, Swain who had allegedly helped others in executing the crime, has been booked on Wednesday, police said.

Swain will be produced before a local court today, police added.

The second accused, Amarersh Rout had been arrested last week for his involvement in the murder conspiracy. Rout is a friend of the prime accused Rakesh Swain. Both belong to the same village in Bhubaneswar, the SP had added.

Jharaphula, a plus three student at the city-based women’s university was allegedly murdered at a private guest house on January 26 by her boyfriend with the help of others. Her body was taken on a scooter by the prime accused with the help of Shaktisekhar and dumped by the side of a road near Mulapala at Kuakhia in Jajpur district in the last week of January.

A CCTV footage of the body being carried on a two-wheeler had also gone viral on social media, based on which police had launched the investigation.