Bhubaneswar: A 65-year-old temple priest succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, just a day after his 20-year-old son was brutally beaten to death in their home at Khandagiri in Bhubaneswar.
The elderly victim, Himanshu Padhi, had slipped into a coma following the attack and passed away at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where his daughter, Tapasi Padhi, remains under medical treatment for severe head injuries.
The tragic update came as police made their first significant breakthrough, detaining two suspects for interrogation in connection with the horrific attack that occurred at Kolathia under Khandagiri police limits around 2:20 am.
According to sources, two masked assailants targeted Krushna Chandra Padhi, a Plus III student and native of Sorada in Ganjam district. The
assailants beat him with iron rods, leaving him critically injured. Krushna’s father, and his sister rushed to his rescue and were also grievously assaulted, suffering severe head injuries.
Neighbours alerted police after hearing screams, but the attackers had by then fled the scene after scaling a boundary wall. All three were then rushed to AIIMS Bhubaneswar, where Krushna succumbed during treatment on Monday morning. His father later slipped into a coma and died.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena visited the spot along with senior officers and a scientific team on Monday. A dog squad was also deployed. “Multiple police teams have been formed to crack the case,” Meena said.
While the murder weapon has been seized, police are examining CCTV footage, digital evidence, forensic leads, and gathering intelligence to identify the culprits.
Sources further stated that the family had been living for about 20 years on a relative’s property along National Highway-16 in an asbestos house. Krushna’s mother had passed away about a year ago, leaving the small family of three.
Preliminary investigations point to possible previous enmity, with one line of probe suggesting a love triangle angle. However, family members, including Krushna’s cousin Prabhat Panigrahi, insisted the victim and his family had no known enmity with anyone. Krushna was described as a focused student who kept to himself.