Youth Succumbs To ‘Accident’ Injuries A Day After Stabbing Cousin To Death In Odisha’s Berhampur

Bhubaneswar: A 22-year-old youth, who met with a road accident after allegedly killing his cousin, succumbed to injures at MKCG Medical College and Hospital (MCH) in Odisha’s Berhampur on Tuesday.

According to sources, Ashutosh Panigrahy, a pharmacy student, allegedly stabbed his 13-year-old cousin, Prajakta Panigrahy, to death on Raksha Bandhan while the family was observing a death anniversary ceremony at Jagannath Vihar under Bada Bazaar police limits. Prajakta’s brother, Ayushman (14), also sustained injuries in the knife attack and is undergoing treatment at MKCG MCH.

All the cousins were on the first floor of the house when the shraddh ceremony was underway on the ground floor. The rest of the family members rushed upstairs when they heard cries and saw the two children bleeding, sources said.

The 22-year-old later suffered critical injuries while boarding a bus at Pochilima, near Hinjili while trying to flee. It was also alleged that he attempted to end his life by jumping in front of a bus.

Police said the motive behind the attack is not known yet. “Since the family members are preoccupied attending to the injured, we haven’t got a chance to interrogate them yet,” Bada Bazar police station IIC Baba Shankar Saraf said.