Odisha Police arrested the mastermind behind the kidnapping and murder of Berhampur businessman Sudhir Kumar Patra.
The accused, Surya Pratap, was caught in Surat after evading arrest for a week.
Police confirmed that Surya Pratap, a native of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, had been hiding in Surat since the murder. Odisha Police worked with the Surat Crime Branch to trace and detain him.
Patra, a 47-year-old plot dealer from Berhampur, was kidnapped on April 15 near Bonagaon under Gopalpur police limits. His wife, Rashmita Patra, lodged a complaint after receiving a disturbing video showing her husband being tortured. The kidnappers demanded a Rs 2 crore ransom and fired blank shots in the video.
Police tracked Rashmita discreetly when she attempted to deliver the ransom. The abductors made a video call near Aska, asking her to show the money bag. Moments later, they accused her of involving the police and threatened that Patra would never return.
On April 22, locals found Patra’s decomposed body near Rashipankal Bridge in Balipanka village under Sorada police limits. His family identified him by his clothes and bracelet. Police seized the body in the presence of a magistrate and sent it for post-mortem at MKCG Medical College, Berhampur.
Investigators revealed that the murder stemmed from a property dispute. Two relatives of the victim were detained for questioning. Reports indicate that Surya Pratap hired professional criminals from Surat, Delhi, and Mumbai for the operation.
Odisha DGP Yogesh Bahadur Khurania confirmed the arrest and said more details will follow.
