Borigumma: Koraput police have uncovered the murder of Sudhir Sahu, a taxi driver from Jagmara area of Bhubaneswar. Sudhir was strangled to death for molesting a young woman, not for looting. Koraput SGP Barun Guntupalli made the remarks at a press conference at Borigumma police station on Wednesday after the couple was arrested from Rourkela on Tuesday. The car and other items looted from the accused were also seized with details of the incident, he said. According to sources, the accused Prakash Chandra Rautaray is a native of Karimabad village in Jajpur district and is married. Similarly, the accused girl, Alpana Nayak, is from Binjharpur area of Jajpur district. The two have been in a love affair for a long time. She lived in a live-in relationship, renting an apartment near Nandankanan in Bhubaneswar. The two decided to visit Gupteswar and contacted Sudhir Sahu, a taxi owner and driver from Jagmara area of Bhubaneswar. He left Bhubaneswar on the morning of January 25 and reached Koraput that night. But on the way, he decided to go to Harish in Balangir district instead of Gupteswar and stopped for dinner at a dhaba. Prakash and Sudhir drank heavily in the shed and headed for their destination again. But Sudhir was tired and Prakash was driving. Unbeknownst to the road, Prakash walked on the Borigumma-Ranigarh road. Unable to find a way late at night, the Borigumma block was parked near Chhatarla and everyone fell asleep. When intoxicated, Sudhir repeatedly touched Alpana with evil intentions. Arpana was outraged and shouted. Finally, the couple stabbed Sudhir in the neck with a towel. The body was dumped on the side of the road and taken by car. After a short walk, Sudhir’s mobile phone was also thrown on the street. Borigumma police launched a manhunt after finding Sudhir’s body. A four-member team was formed under the direction of the Koraput SP. The team included Borigumma police station IIC Sanjay Kumar Mandal, Jaipur Sadar police station SI Aditya Mahankur and others. Police first searched for the identity and address of the unidentified suspect. The police team then arrived in Rourkela after learning of their possible whereabouts. The couple allegedly attacked the Amar Bhavan Hotel in Rourkela yesterday and arrested the couple. He was arraigned in Borigumma today and questioned. Three mobile phones along with Sudhir’s car and purse were seized from them.
