Bhubaneswar, November 5, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Commissionerate Police on Thursday arrested eight persons in connection with the murder of a 25-year-old youth during a party in Bhubaneswar’s Dhauli police station area in the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
The deceased was identified as Tapu Naik, a native of Baideswar in Cuttack district, who was residing at Sitaram Basti under Bharatpur police station limits. The arrested accused have been identified as Umesh Kumar Pattanayak, Bishnuprasad Samanataraya alias Pikun, Ratnakar Sahoo, Alok Jena, Manas Swain, Akshaya Pradhan, Kalinga Keshari Patra and Chitrasen Gajendra.
According to police, the incident took place at the campus of Maa Dakshinakali Construction office, behind Navjyoti College in Sisupalagarh village. A group of around seven people were partying there when, at approximately 11.30 pm, one of them allegedly took out a pistol and fired at Naik.
Police said Umesh had reportedly procured the pistol from a person in Puri, and the group had gathered to celebrate the arrival of the weapon. During the party, an argument reportedly broke out among the friends, who were under the influence of alcohol. Following a sudden provocation, Pikun allegedly fired at Naik, leaving him critically injured.
Umesh and Pikun took Naik to Capital Hospital on a scooter. He was later shifted to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh said the incident came to the police’s notice around 1 am. During interrogation, Umesh and Pikun allegedly gave a fabricated account, claiming that two unidentified men on a motorcycle had shot Naik near Mausi Maa Bridge before fleeing.
However, analysis of CCTV footage and other evidence exposed the account as false, Singh said. During further questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to their involvement and disclosed that they had disposed of the pistol in a waterbody. Police have recovered the weapon.
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