Kolkata Police on Wednesday arrested two men from Odisha for their alleged involvement in the murder of a young man in a city hotel. The accused, identified as Shashikant Behera and Santosh Behera, were apprehended in Sambalpur.
“We are investigating the motive behind the killing. The duo is being questioned and will be brought to West Bengal on transit remand,” an officer said.
The victim, Rahul Lal, was found dead last week in a storage compartment of a Park Street hotel room. Preliminary investigations suggest he was strangled to death using a bedsheet.
Investigators traced leads through Lal’s Aadhaar card and mobile number, linking the crime to Sambalpur. Lal had a criminal history, with multiple theft and fraud cases registered against him at Park Street police station. He was reportedly involved in selling stolen items, including antiques, to interstate smuggling networks for substantial profits.
Police suspect Lal recently acquired a valuable stolen artifact and had scheduled a meeting with members of an Odisha-based smuggling ring to negotiate its sale. “The hotel room was booked for that meeting. Investigators believe he was murdered, and the artifact stolen. Efforts are ongoing to locate the item and identify others involved,” the officer added.
