What initially seemed like a hit-and-run accident at Acharya Harihar College Square in Bhubaneswar late Friday night has now been revealed as a premeditated murder, allegedly fueled by a love triangle and personal enmity, police confirmed on Saturday.
Six Arrested in Connection with the Murder
Police have arrested six individuals in connection with the case. The deceased has been identified as Barun Kumar Routray, also known as Barenya, aged 26. A case has been registered under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita based on a complaint filed by the victim's father, Ashok Routray, a resident of Gopabandhu Padia. In his complaint, Routray alleged that his son was deliberately run over by a vehicle due to a previous grudge.
Details of the Incident
According to investigators, the fatal incident occurred on the intervening night of Friday when the victim was chased and intentionally struck near Acharya Harihar College Square. The six accused have been identified as Bramhananda Das (36), Chidananda Das (31), Asish Dehury (30), Swastik Bhardwaj (23), Suraj Biswakarma (23), and Sridhara Nayak (20). All are residents of Sailashree Vihar under the Chandrasekharapur police limits.
During the investigation, police seized an SUV and a two-wheeler linked to the accused. Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena stated, "When the PCR van arrived at the scene, it initially appeared to be an accident. Three persons on motorcycles had been injured by the car hit. They were taken to the hospital, where one was declared dead. Information obtained from the two injured individuals revealed the intention and the act of committing murder."
Motive: Love Triangle and Personal Feud
Police investigations revealed that one of the accused, Suraj Biswakarma, worked at a juice shop run by Bramhananda Das near Tarini temple chowk in Sailashree Vihar. Suraj was allegedly in a relationship with a girl for the past six years. However, tensions arose after Barun reportedly grew closer to her. This led to repeated confrontations between Suraj and Barun.
According to investigators, around 2 am on Friday, Barun and three associates went to the juice center allegedly to attack Suraj with lethal weapons. However, they retreated after seeing eight to ten people gathered there. The group returned later, triggering a clash. Suraj and others then allegedly pursued Barun and his friends in an SUV, hit their motorcycle near the college, and ran over Barun with the intent to kill, police said. Barun died on the spot, while his friends Alok Mallick and Balabanta alias Godhi sustained serious injuries and are currently undergoing treatment.
Police have assured that further investigation is underway to uncover all aspects of the case.
