Odisha shopkeeper hacked to death for opposing sister’s relationship with man
Police said the family of the woman had listed two conditions including a ₹10 lakh deposit for the accused to continue to be in a relationship with her
A 25-year-old shopkeeper was hacked to death in Odisha’s Jajpur district by a man who was in a relationship with his sister, police said on Wednesday after the arrest of the accused. Police said the woman’s family was opposed to the relationship because the man was already married and had demanded that he deposit ₹10 lakh in the woman’s bank account and file for divorce if he wanted to continue the relationship.
On Tuesday evening, the accused identified by the police as Shantanu Samal attacked the woman’s brother, Jitendra Mohapatra, with a billhook, in the district’s Kaliapani area where he had a shop.
“Using a billhook, he rained blows on Jitendra. When Jitendra’s father Santosh came to his rescue, Shantanu attacked him too,” said Kaliapani police station inspector-in-charge Sushant Kumar Das.
Jitendra and his father were rushed to the nearby Sukinda health centre but Jitendra died soon after. The condition of his father is still critical.
Local residents blocked the area’s main road, set the accused’s truck and thatched hut on fire and demanded stringent action against him.
