In a swift operation, Koraput Town Police have arrested three suspects, including a minor, in connection with the gruesome murder of Ante Mali, whose mutilated body was discovered near Baunsguda junction on the Padmapur-Panasput road.
The arrests were announced during a press conference held at the Koraput Town Police Station premises by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ambit Kumar Mohanty.
The accused have been identified as Rahul Benia (19) from Malitola village and Tubula Takri alias Suraj (19) from Sembi village, along with a minor boy. According to police reports, the incident stemmed from a heated altercation between Rahul Benia and the victim, Ante Mali, on the day of Raksha Purnima.
On Sunday evening, Rahul encountered Ante at Dumuriput junction. He allegedly plied Ante with alcohol and inquired about his route home. Upon learning that Ante would take the Padmapur-Panasput road, Rahul and Suraj followed him on a motorcycle and summoned the minor via phone. The trio intercepted Ante’s bike near Baunsguda junction, where they launched a vicious attack using an iron rod, an iron bar, and a sharp stone. After killing him, they dumped the body by the roadside, abandoned the victim’s bike a short distance away, and fled the scene.
Following the discovery of the body, a special investigation team was formed under the leadership of Koraput Town Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Satyananda Patra. The team, comprising Sub-Inspector (SI) Ranjit Mishra, SI Rajesh Priyadarshini Nayak, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sarat Chandra Bisoyi, ASI Subash Chandra Shisha, and ASI S.K. Muktaj, cracked the case within 48 hours. The suspects were taken to the crime scene for a recreation, during which they confessed to the crime.
The minor has been presented before the Juvenile Justice Board, while the other two accused have been forwarded to court for further proceedings. ASP Mohanty praised the team’s efficiency in solving the case promptly, emphasising the police’s commitment to maintaining law and order in the region.
This incident has raised concerns about rising violence in rural areas of Koraput, with locals calling for increased patrolling on isolated roads.
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