Sarada Yadav, an employee at a country liquor manufacturing unit in Sonkhaman under Bolangir Sadar police limits, was found brutally murdered on Tuesday.
Police investigations revealed that four individuals from Sonkhaman village were involved in the crime. Among them, Balram Barik, Arttatrana Chinda, and Sunil Bagh have been arrested, while one suspect remains at large. SDPO Saroj Upadhyay announced that efforts are underway to apprehend the absconding suspect soon.
The motive behind the murder was a love-related dispute. Sarada had been working at the liquor shop for the past seven months and frequently visited Balram Barik’s grocery store, where he communicated with Balram’s wife via mobile messages. This caused tension between the couple. Later, Balram called Vishal Yadav, the manager of the liquor shop, for assistance. Although Vishal did not come himself, he sent Sarada and another individual instead.
Upon Sarada’s arrival, Balram and his associates allegedly attacked him and left him in critical condition in a nearby forest. Sarada was subsequently rescued and taken to Bhima Bhoi Medical College in Bolangir, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The investigation, led by Sadar IIC Rajkumar Vishwal, successfully resulted in the arrest of three of the accused.
