Man Arrested Within 12 Hours for Mistaken Identity Murder in Jharsuguda

Jharsuguda: Lakhanpur police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly murdering a 25-year-old youth in Lalumunda village under Lakhanpur police station limits in Jharsuguda district.

The accused has been identified as Nilamani Bhoi, while the deceased is Pradeep Kumar Bhoi (25). Both belonged to Lalumunda village.

According to Jharsuguda Superintendent of Police Gundala Reddy Raghavendra, the incident took place around 3 a.m. on Wednesday. Following the crime, the victim’s brother, Uttam Kumar Bhoi, lodged a complaint at Lakhanpur police station, leading to the registration of an FIR and initiation of an investigation.

Senior police officials, including the Lakhanpur IIC, SDPO, and the SP, rushed to the spot soon after the incident. A scientific team along with a dog squad was deployed to assist in the probe.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the murder stemmed from a long-standing family dispute. Police said the accused allegedly intended to attack Uttam Kumar Bhoi but mistakenly killed Pradeep Kumar Bhoi, who had been sleeping on the veranda of the house for the past two days. Nilamani Bhoi reportedly attacked him with an axe, misidentifying him as Uttam.

After committing the crime, the accused allegedly concealed the weapon in a nearby forest. The axe was later recovered by police during the investigation.

The SP said the accused was apprehended within 12 hours of the incident and has been produced before the court.

Further investigation into the case is underway.