Dhenkanal: Police on Saturday arrested Dasarath Behera, the Mahant of Shree Chaitanya Gosain Mutt in the district, on murder charge.
Behera had allegedly killed Uddhab Patra, a scrap collector of Bhuban area on Tuesday night. The body of Uddhab, who was bludgeoned to death, was found on the premises of the mutt at Mandara village under Gondia police limits on Wednesday morning.
According to police sources, the Mahant, who was earlier detained on suspicion, confessed to have committed the crime after Uddhab threatened to disclose his criminal records to police. Behera has been forwarded to court and further investigation is on.
The police investigation revealed that Behera of Anlajhari village in Bhuban had separated from his wife in 1997. Later, he lured a girl and established physical relation with her. After she delivered a girl child, Behera allegedly killed her in 2011.
Since then, he has been staying in the Mandar Chaitanya Gosain Mutt as Mahant, the sources added.
