Three members of a family, including two women, were arrested today for their alleged involvement in the killing of a Boudh-based lawyer cum BJP leader, police said.
Following a tip off, a joint team comprising personnel from Boudh and Kandhamal police districts, arrested Duryodhana Sahu, his mother Kunti Sahu and her relative Uma Sahu, from their hideout at Raikia in Kandhamal district, about 68 km from here, early today, Boudh district SP, B Gangadhar said.
Duryodhana and Kunti are the principal accused in the case and had fled from their village after the crime three days back, the SP said.
Advocate Hemant Sahu, who was also the Boudh block unit BJP president, was killed at Bohira village in Boudh district on November 10 during a morning walk.
His body was found lying in a pool of blood near the village tank about half-a-km from Sahu's house. He was taken to the nearby hospital where he was declared dead.
The police had seized a bike from the spot, Boudh sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Kandarpa Behera said.
Behera said the cause of the killing was apparently due to a long standing dispute over possession of agricultural land.
The dispute dated back to 11 years, in connection with which, an uncle of the deceased was also killed few years back, the SDPO said.
Sahu was the principal witness in that case, the SDPO said.
After Sahu's murder, road blockades were staged by the irate villagers and relatives demanding immediate arrest of the killers.
Lawyers' bodies, including Orissa High Court Bar Association, have called for an indefinite state-wide cease-work from today demanding speedy investigation in the case and arrest of culprits.
