Odisha cops arrest four in Mankadchuaan murders

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhanjanagar, Feb 9:

Police today arrested four persons in connection with the murder of four persons and burying of their bodies in a pit inside the Mankadchuaan forested area under Badagada police limits in Bhanjanagar area of Odisha’s Ganjam district.

These persons were detained by the police for interrogation on Monday after the matter came to light.

Those arrested are Basudev Gamango, Bambeda Gamango, Bipra Raita and Gouranga Mandal, police said.

It’s now almost clear that the murders were the fallout of previous rivalry. Forensic evidence collected today by the scientific team of the police suggests that Bhima Gamango, his wife Jani Gamango, Dambaru Gamango and Anand Raita were murdered on Saturday before their burial in the pit, police sources said.

“Basudev Gamango had called the four deceased for a meeting. There they had a quarrel. Basudev called up three others to join him. They beat Bhima and others to death with sticks. After their death they dug up a pit and buried the bodies in it,” said Subash Chandra Panda, SDPO Bhanjanagar, who is heading the investigations in the case.

According to the police, village headman Bhima Gamango had no issues and had wanted to marry accused Basudev’s niece as his second wife but Basudev was opposed to it. Basudev also suspected that Bhima and his wife had killed his brother Bhaskar using the services of a black magic practitioner. In a pre-planned conspiracy to take his revenge Basudev under the pretext of marrying off his niece in marriage to Bhima, invited Bhima and his wife to a field near the forested area close to their village. Four accused armed with sticks were waiting there for Bhima and his wife. On Bhima, his wife Jani, Dambaru and Anand the accused offered them liquor to drink. After they got drunk, the accused thrashed with sticks on their heads leading to their deaths and later buried them in a pit dug up by them.

While the bodies of the four were exhumed from the pit by the police yesterday, it has recovered the motor bikes of Dambaru and Anand.