Bhubaneswar: In a significant breakthrough, the Commissionerate Police has nabbed Siba Pradhan, the alleged mastermind behind the murder of an employee of AIIMS Bhubaneswar last month.
The killing of Sudhanshu Khuntia, a laboratory assistant in AIIMS Bhubaneswar, took place on October 13 in Sarkantra area of the city. Police said that a long-standing property dispute reportedly led to the murder.
Nearly a month after the crime, the alleged mastermind was detained following a special operation carried out in coordination with the Khandagiri police. A firearm has also reportedly been recovered from the accused, sources said.
As per information, he is being interrogated by a police team in connection with the daylight murder. Further investigation is in progress.
Four others allegedly involved in the case had been taken into custody earlier, while the main accused had managed to evade arrest for around a month, causing distress to the victim’s family. The four accused, who were arrested earlier, have been identified as Sukant Pradhan, Shubhendu Pradhan, Rajesh Khuntia, and Subrat Sahu.
the family members of the deceased continued to live in fear as the main accused and his associates had allegedly issued life threats to them. Seeking safety and justice, Khuntia’s family members had approached the Police Commissioner, demanding immediate action and protection.
Notably, Khuntia, who worked as a lab assistant of AIIMS Bhubaneswar through an outsourcing agency, was shot dead near Ransinghpur, under Khandagiri Police Limits, while he was on his way to work in the morning on October 13.