Keonjhar police on Tuesday arrested three relatives for allegedly murdering a couple and their teenage daughter at Nialijharan village over a long-standing property dispute.
The accused have been identified as:
Laxman Soren, 36
Baidyanath Soren, 50
Sudam Soren, 24, son of Baidyanath
Police said the dispute between two branches of the same family had been simmering for years. On Sunday evening, the quarrel allegedly turned violent, resulting in the deaths of Jitendra Soren (45), his wife Malati Soren (35), and their daughter Sasmita Soren (15). The victims were attacked with an axe.
The incident unfolded when Jitendra’s two younger daughters returned home and saw Baidyanath and Sudam arguing with their father over the land dispute. The confrontation escalated, leading to the brutal attack. The younger daughters and the eldest daughter, who had returned home for Makar Sankranti, survived.
Upon receiving the report, Anandapur SDPO Kamal Panda and Ghasipura police rushed to the scene. A forensic team from Keonjhar later collected evidence, and the bodies were sent for autopsy at Anandapur sub-divisional hospital.
Ghasipura police station IIC Kishor Chandra Pradhan said a crime scene reconstruction was conducted to understand the sequence of events. The accused will be forwarded to court after formalities.
