Kataka: A love triangle is suspected to have led to the murder of a 15-year-old boy in Odisha’s Kataka city as police intensified investigation into the gruesome incident.
A juvenile suspect has been detained by the police in connection with the sensational murder, while another accused remains absconding, sources said on Monday. The detained minor was produced before the magistrate of the Juvenile Justice Board, they said.
The victim, a resident of Raja Bagicha Badhei Sahi, was found dead near the lower Balijatra ground along the Mahanadi River. He had sustained multiple stab wounds.
Kataka Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Khilari Rishikesh Dnyandeo said the preliminary investigation indicated that the murder was linked to a suspected love triangle.
The detained juvenile is a college student in Kataka, while the second suspect studies at a college in Bhubaneswar, the DCP said. Police are making efforts to trace and apprehend the absconding suspect.
The crime came to light after locals who had gone to the river to bathe spotted the body and alerted the police. A team from Cantonment police station reached the spot and launched an investigation with the assistance of a scientific team.
Investigators found bloodstains along a stretch of nearly 100 metres from the riverbank, suggesting that the trail could provide crucial clues in reconstructing the sequence of events.
Police also examined CCTV footage from the lower Balijatra ground to identify those involved in the crime. The footage helped investigators track down and apprehend one of the accused, the DCP said.
During the investigation, family members told police that the victim had last spoken to a friend of his elder brother at around 8.40 am on the day of the incident.
They also informed investigators that two persons had visited their house at night two to three days before the murder and asked for Sumant. The duo left after being told that he was not at home.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder and the suspected social media connection as part of their probe.
