Bhubaneswar: Dispute over ‘Ghuguni’ purchase drives man to kill woman shopkeeper

Bhubaneswar: The Twin City Commissionerate Police cracked the case of murder of a woman shopkeeper at IIIT Chhak in Gothapatna area of Odisha capital, said Police Commissioner Saumyendra Kumar Priyadarsi today.

Shockingly, the killing was a fallout of a petty dispute pertaining to buying of ‘Ghuguni’ (chickpea curry) from the tiffin stall run by deceased Sasmita Behera, the official said.

On the basis of a complaint lodged by the woman’s brother, police had registered a case and started investigation into the matter.

During probe, it was revealed that accused Mithun Jena (34) of Ganga Patna area had gone to the eatery on November 5 morning to buy ‘Ghuguni’, during which the woman refused to give him the curry, police sources said.

Holding a grudge against the shopkeeper, Mithun purchased a knife and went to the tiffin stall on November 6 evening. The accused stabbed the woman with the knife at the shop while her husband had gone to fetch water from a nearby tap, sources added.

Mithun then fled the spot and threw the knife on the way near a transformer.

Police have seized the weapon of offence and apprehended the accused.