Puri hotelier murder: Odisha police take accused Litu on remand

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jan 19:

The Puri police took Narendranath Das alias Litu, one of the accused in the sensational murder of hotelier-cum-lawyer Chandan Behera, on a 5-day remand for further interrogation.

The police had sought a seven-day remand of Litu from the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court here but the court permitted a five-day remand of the accused.

Litu had yesterday surrendered before the court following which he was arrested. He was absconding after Chandan’s brutal murder on January 8.

Police had earlier arrested Chandan’s wife Nibedita on January 16 for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to kill her husband.

Besides Nibedita, four others– Sea Shine apartment’s security guard Kamalakanta Das, Somnath Bhat alias Balia, Prafulla Behera of Padmapur and Rabindra Behera– were arrested on that day.

Police had also arrested three accused identified as Kapilash Bhoi, Basudev Bhat and Brajakishore Bhoi on January 11.

Nibedita had plotted Chandan’s murder along with other accused, Puri SP Sarthak Sarangi had informed.

Nibedita came to Puri from Rourkela on December 20 last year and a blueprint was prepared to execute Chandan, the SP said. She went back to Rourkela on January 5 after which Chandan was murdered on January 8.

According to reports, Chandan and Nibedita were staying separately and the latter wanted to take possession of his properties for which she hatched the murder conspiracy.

Nibedita had on January 5 transfered her power of attorney to Litu. She had reportedly planned to hand over the hotel owned by Chandan and other properties to Litu after her husband’s murder.

Notably, Chandan was hacked to death by unknown assailants on January 8 evening inside the compound of Sai Kutir Lodge owned by him. Behera was attacked with swords while he was returning to the lodge with one of his staff Krushna pillion riding with him on a scooter. Krushna had received minor injuries in the attack.