Berhampur: A virtual friendship, which began on Facebook in 2019, recently ended in a spine-chilling tale of betrayal and murder at Sreema Nagar in Odisha’s Berhampur.
The incident came to the fore when one Chitrasen Swain lodged a complaint with police on August 11 about the brutal murder of his sister, Gayatri Swain, and the severe assault on her 11-year-old daughter, Neelam.
According to police, Gayatri developed a relationship with a man in Mumbai, who identified himself as Sunil Swain, despite her marriage to Sadhu Charan Swain. Their bond deepened, leading to elopement, estrangement, and eventual reconciliation. However, Gayatri distanced herself from Sunil following some misunderstandings. She soon began to ignore his calls, prioritising her family over him.
Consumed by rage, the spurned lover on August 10 barged into her rented home at Sreema Nagar. Amid a heated argument, Sunil stabbed Gayatri and assaulted Neelam before fleeing. The crime was discovered the following morning by the house owner, and Neelam was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital before being shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar in a critical condition.
Acting on the complaint, police launched an investigation. The accused was traced to Wadi Railway Station in Karnataka with the help of CCTV footage and arrested on August 16 with support from RPF personnel. He was then produced in Civil Judge & JMFC Court, Sedam, Chittapur, and brought to Odisha on transit remand.
In a shocking twist, the accused was later identified as Santanu Patra (29), a fugitive wanted in a 2019 POCSO rape case involving his cousins. Using a false identity, the resident of Balasore had fled to Mumbai, where he connected with Gayatri on Facebook, triggering a tragic sequence of events.
Police have secured his remand for questioning.
