In a shocking incident near the Shree Setu bridge in Puri, two individuals have been arrested and remanded to judicial custody for the murder of a 17-year-old minor, whose body was dumped in a nearby field. The Sadar police station handled the case, leading to the swift apprehension of the suspects after a thorough investigation.
The accused, identified as Aju Pradhan (25) from Matitota Pradhan Sahi under the Baselisahi police station and Sipun Singh (18) from Matitota Nuasahi, were produced in court, where their bail pleas were rejected. They have been sent to jail. Police seized an iron angle and the suspects’ clothing from them as evidence.
According to police sources, the body of the minor was recovered from the field near Shrisetu Bridge on Thursday. The victim was identified as Surya Sahu (17), son of Loknath Sahu from Markandeswar Sahi. Surya had been missing from home since Tuesday, prompting his family to file a complaint at the Town police station.
The Sadar police initiated an investigation upon recovering the body. It was revealed that the murder stemmed from a financial dispute. Two years ago, Aju had borrowed Rs 10,000 from Surya. Despite repeated demands for repayment, Aju refused to return the money. Frustrated, Aju plotted to eliminate Surya.
Aju, along with his accomplice Sipun, lured Surya to the area near Shrisetu Bridge. There, they allegedly killed him and disposed of the body in the nearby water before fleeing the scene.
A murder case (No. 695/2025) has been registered against the duo. Police noted that Sipun has a prior criminal record, with cases pending against him at the Baselisahi and Kumbharapada police stations.
