Murder during cricket match in Cuttack: 4 accused arrested

Cuttack: Police arrested four accused persons in connection with murder of a youth over ‘No Ball’ decision during a cricket match at Choudwar yesterday.

The accused persons were Raja, Smuti aka Muna, Sanjay aka Muguni and Badal — all are adults and hail from Berhampur village in Cuttack district.

Among four, Muna is suspected to be the prime accused in the murder case. All four accused persons will be forwarded to court today, informed Cuttack DCP Pinak Mishra.

The probe is underway. Appropriate action will be taken after reason behind murder became clear, he said.

Narrating about the incident, the DCP said, there was a cricket match between Berhampur and Shankarpur villages at Mahisalanda village under Choudwar police limits on April 2. Anguished over a wrong decision by an umpire during the match, a youth from Berhampur village with help of others launched a murderous attack on the umpire. The prime accused assaulted a youth identified as Lucky Rout, who came to rescue the umpire during the chaotic situation, with a knife. The victim succumbed to injuries at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack due to excessive bleeding.

On receiving information, an FIR was lodged at the Choudwar Police Station following which police arrested one accused from Berhampur village. Later, a special police team nabbed remaining three accused persons.

However, he denied the report that an umpire was killed during the cricket tournament.

“The deceased youth was not an umpire. He was one of the youth who intervened to sort out the dispute between two teams. Unfortunately, one of them stabbed him to death,” DCP Pinak Mishra made it clear.

The prima facie suggested that the incident was an act of sudden provocation.

“Following interrogation of all accused persons, we can reveal other angles for investigation in the case. The preliminary probe indicated that the cause of death was due to profuse bleeding and the circumstances that led to the incident was sudden provocation. We have initiated investigation to ascertain whether there was past enmity or other reasons behind the murder,” he added.