Transgender Murder in Puri: Shocking Rs 10 Snatching Attempt Revealed as Motive
Disturbing new details have emerged in the recent murder of a transgender individual near Pipili in Puri district, with police authorities confirming that the fatal crime originated from an attempted robbery of a mere ten-rupee note. The investigation has uncovered a tragic sequence of events that highlights both the vulnerability of marginalized communities and the persistent criminal activities in the region.
Robbery Motive Confessed by Prime Accused
During intensive interrogation, prime accused Krushna Kandi, aged 25, who was apprehended after being shot and injured in police firing on Wednesday evening, admitted that the primary motivation behind the attack was robbery. The victim, also 25 years old, was brutally stabbed to death after courageously resisting three assailants, including Krushna Kandi himself.
Police successfully arrested Kandi's associate Sanil Kandi, aged 21, on Thursday, while ongoing efforts continue to locate and apprehend the third accused individual involved in this heinous crime. The investigative team remains determined to bring all perpetrators to justice.
Chilling Sequence of Events Unfolded
Investigations have meticulously reconstructed the events leading to the murder. The trio of accused individuals, all hailing from the Konark area, were returning from Uttara towards Pipili when they spotted the victim walking alone along the Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway 316 during the evening of February 1.
"Under the pretext of friendly interaction, the accused cunningly lured the victim to an isolated location and attempted to forcibly snatch her purse. When she demonstrated remarkable bravery by resisting their advances and attempting to overpower them, one of the assailants fatally stabbed her," explained Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh during a detailed briefing.
In a particularly shocking revelation, Krushna Kandi reportedly confessed that the victim's purse contained only a single ten-rupee note, which the assailants ultimately did not even manage to steal during the chaotic and violent encounter.
Investigative Challenges and Breakthrough
The case presented significant challenges for investigators, as there were no direct eyewitnesses to the crime and no accessible CCTV footage from the immediate vicinity of the incident. "This was essentially a blind case with minimal initial leads," acknowledged SP Singh.
Pipili police station Inspector-in-Charge Soumyendu Tripathy and his dedicated team employed multiple investigative strategies to crack the case. They meticulously examined distant surveillance cameras, conducted thorough interrogations of jailed criminals with similar modus operandi, analyzed valuable intelligence inputs, and questioned the victim's acquaintances and community members.
Through persistent investigative work and reliable sources, the team eventually narrowed their focus to Krushna Kandi as a prime suspect, leading to his identification and subsequent apprehension.
Dramatic Arrest and Criminal Background
During the arrest operation on Wednesday evening, Krushna Kandi attempted to flee on a motorcycle. He allegedly opened fire at pursuing police officers during the high-speed chase, prompting controlled retaliatory firing in which he sustained injuries before being taken into custody.
Police authorities have confirmed Kandi's extensive and serious criminal background, with at least thirteen separate cases of snatching, theft, and robbery registered against him across multiple police stations throughout Puri district. His criminal record spans jurisdictions including Kumbharapada, Konark, Nimapara, Kakatpur, and Chandrabhaga police stations in Puri, as well as Bhubaneswar's Dhauli, Kharavel Nagar, Lingaraj, and Badagada areas.
This tragic incident has sparked renewed discussions about safety for transgender individuals and the need for enhanced protection measures for vulnerable communities across Odisha. The investigation continues as authorities work to apprehend the remaining suspect and ensure comprehensive justice for the victim.
