Couple arrested for killing nephew in Odisha’s Sundargarh dist

Sources said, Sukra Munda(30), a resident of Patharpunji village under Mahulpada police station of Sundargarh district had quarrled with his wife Jinki on 9th January night and then again the next morning. On 10th January afternoon, the neighbourers of Sukra Munda noticed his corpse lying on the verandah of his house with the head apparently smashed with a sharp weapon.

Sukra Munda’s aunt Surya Munda(50) had informed Mahulpada police station about the murder of her nephew Sukra Munda, following which a police team reached the spot and seized his body. Police had registered a murder case and started investigating the  case.

Since Sukra’s wife Jinki was abscondingsince his death, police suspected her to have killed him and detained and interrogated her. But during interrogation, police could come to know that on 10th January after their quarrel, she had left Sukra’s house. Police therefore had left her.

Later police started investigating the case and found after examining as many as sixty witnesses from village that Sukra’s uncle Lathal Munda (45) and his aunt Surya Munda (50) had killed him.

On Tuesday night, police brought the couple to police station and interrogated him.. During interrogation, they confessed of killing  him. As per their statement, they killed him to take the revenge. Tweleve years ago, Sukra Munda had lodged an FIR against his uncle Lathal Munda (45) and  one Daba Munda of same village for raping his first wife Gurubari, following which both accused had been arrested and jailed.

Accused Lathal had returned to his house from jail a few days ago whereas another accused Daba had died in jail. After coming from jail, Lathal had planned to kill his nephew Surka to take revenge in which his wife Surya had assured him to cooperate.

On 10th morning, after the quarrel between Sukra and his second wife Jinki, Jinki had left his home. Finding him alone, Lathal and Surya had entered into Sukra’s house. While Lathal had grabbed Sukra, Surya had hit Sukra’s head with an axe repeatedly, following which he had died on the spot.

Thereafter the couple had fled from the spot and Surya had gone to the police station to inform about the murder of Sukra and had also drawn the attention of police that Sukra’s wife Jinki might have have killed him. On Wednesday, police arrested both Lathal and his wife Surya Munda and forwarded them to court. Police have also seized the axe from them.

“They couple had killed their own nephew Sukra Munda. They have been arrested and forwarded to court.” said A.Gardia, OIC, Mahulpada police station.