Missing Web Channel Journalist killed over extramarital affair in Nayagarh, body torched

Nayagarh: A web channel journalist of Cuttack who had gone missing in Mahipur area of Nayagarh district was killed by his friend and two others while the body was torched and thrown into a pond, police said today.

Deceased Sailendranath Jena (40), a native of Patkura in Kendrapara district, was residing in Sati Chaura locality of Cuttack city and working as a journalist with a web channel. He was also a social worker.

A year ago, he had developed an affair with Sunita Sahoo, wife of his friend Gopinath Sahoo, while they were staying in Jhanjirimangala area of Cuttack. A dispute emerged between the two friends over the matter.

Gopinath, a Dahibara Aloodum vendor, had then returned to his village in Nayagarh along with his wife and three sons.

Jena allegedly went to Gopinath’s village multiple times during the last few months to meet the latter’s wife, for which the dispute intensified.

On December 3, Jena again went to Mahipur on a motorcycle with his friend Jayaprakash Sahoo, who dropped him at Gopinath’s house and waited for him near Mahipur Government Hospital.

As Jena didn’t return till late night, Jayaprakash left the place and headed towards Cuttack on the two-wheeler and apprised the family members of Jena about the incident.

Next day, Jena’s kin lodged a missing complaint with the Lalbag police.

Revealing about the murder of Jena, a police official said, “Gopinath, his wife Sunita and his friend Suriya Sahoo killed Jena. Later, Gopinath, his father and Suriya set the body on fire and threw the half-burnt body into a pond located 2 km away from Mahipur to eliminate evidence.”

A case has been registered in this connection with the Nuagaon police while Sunita and Suriya have been detained for questioning. Gopinath and his father are on the run and efforts are on to trace and apprehend them, the police official added.