Sambalpur: Two Murders in One Day; Elderly Man Stoned to Death at Ainthapali, Youth’s Injured Body Found in the Dyke

Sambalpur: Saturday was a tragic day in Sambalpur as two murders took place within a span of hours, leaving the city in shock.

The first event occurred near the Hanuman temple, which is behind the Ainthapali police station in Durga Mandap. A poor, old man who made his living selling plastic and bottles was violently stoned to death. He had been living on the streets, taking shelter near the temple. According to eyewitnesses, an argument that started between the elderly man and a local youngster around 9 p.m. The argument erupted, and the youngster allegedly struck the old man with stones, causing severe head injuries. Despite the efforts of people who ran to the scene, the old man died from his injuries.

The police arrived, and the young person fled the scene. The body was taken to the district headquarters hospital, where a doctor declared him dead. The police have put the remains in the freezer at Sadar Medical Center and launched an investigation into the incident.

On the same day, the injured body of 21-year-old Raja Bishi was discovered on the dike roadside of the Hirakuda reservoir, near the Sason police station. Raja, a resident of Ainthapali police station’s Shantinagar Matru Bihar, had been missing since the day before. His family reported him missing when he left home to meet friends and never returned. The police and a scientific team arrived on the scene and started their investigation. The family’s allegation led to the official filing of a murder case at the Sason police station.

The Danipali area was tense following these incidents, with Raja’s family demanding the arrest of the killers and strict action. The police are investigating the murder from various angles, including the possibility of a love affair gone wrong or a tribal conflict.

Concerns have also been raised about the rise in criminal activities in the Dyke Road area. Locals claim that a lack of sufficient lighting and police patrolling has made the area dangerous, with drug users and miscreants frequenting it, particularly in the evenings.