Odisha: Police uncover murder link behind Sishu Bhawan Square overbridge incident

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have uncovered a major criminal angle in the car crash at Sishu Bhawan Square in Bhubaneswar, confirming that the incident is directly linked to an alleged murder reported earlier in the city. Two persons including a woman have been detained in this connection. The murder had taken place at around 11 pm on Sunday night near Mangala Mandir in Niladri Vihar. Senior officials said initial findings have confirmed a definite nexus between the two incidents, leading to heightened examination of the suspects’ movements and actions both prior to and following the crime.

As per their findings, the driver of the crashed vehicle was identified as Satya Pradhan alias Babuna, a resident of Hasinipur village in Brahmagiri. He was working as a driver in Bhubaneswar and was living with his girlfriend employed at a beauty parlour in the Chandrasekharpur locality. The car was also registered in the same area. On Sunday, a violent altercation is believed to have occurred in which Satyabrata suffered fatal injuries after his throat was allegedly slit. It is suspected that the assault took place prior to the car plunging from the overbridge.

Police probe love triangle angle

The woman, identified as Liza Bhoi along with her companion Dinesh Kandi - both from Jagatsinghpur - have been taken into custody for questioning. According to police, Liza and the victim had been living together in Niladri Vihar for the past seven months. The couple had been observing Valentine’s Week together and marked Chocolate Day after midnight at their residence. The situation allegedly took a tense turn following a social media post by Liza, which investigators believe set off a series of events culminating in the murder. Soon after, Dinesh—described as another man involved with Liza—allegedly arrived at the house. Police said he had brought a knife with him and allegedly stabbed Satya Prakash repeatedly in the neck, killing him on the spot. Members of the victim’s family alleged that Liza maintained relationships with several men and had promised to marry Satya.

Car Owner’s Role Under Scrutiny

Police have turned their focus to the role of the car’s owner after suspecting irregularities in his actions following Satya’s death. They said the owner, upon learning about the incident, rushed to Bhubaneswar along with another driver to recover the vehicle.

While attempting to leave the city, the owner drove at a very high speed and rammed into the barricade at Sishu Bhawan square. Following the crash, police detained both the car owner and the driver at the Capital Police Station for questioning. Officials are now probing whether the owner had any prior links with the accused persons.