Odisha man held for killing cousin

ROURKELA: Bisra police in Sundargarh district arrested a 31-year-old man on charges of murdering his cousin over a personal grudge and produced him in court on Monday.

Police said the accused, Pusa Badaik, had killed his cousin brother Bijay Badaik (31) at Pital village in Nuagaon block. After Bijay’s body was found in a pool of blood on June 28, Bisra police registered a murder case and during investigation, found Pusa’s involvement in the crime. Subsequently, the accused was arrested from Mahipani in Bisra.

Sources said five years back, Bijay had thrashed Pusa and warned him to leave the village. Out of fear, Pusa was living with his family in another area. Recently, he tried to settle in Pital but was again assaulted by Bijay and forced to leave the village.

Nursing a grudge against Bijay, Pusa planned to eliminate him. In the night of June 27, Pusa sneaked into Bijay’s hut and hacked him with an axe when he was asleep.

During interrogation, the accused confessed to his crime. The axe used in the murder has been recovered, police added.