Odisha Police Arrest Five in Connection with Murder of Man Opposed to Wife’s Affairs

Details of the Investigation

Bhubaneswar: On Monday, police in Odisha announced a major breakthrough in the murder case of Soumya Sagar Samal, who was shot dead in Jajpur district on April 6. The investigation led to the arrest of five individuals, including Samal’s wife, Subhasree Behera, also known as Sima. Jajpur Superintendent of Police Yashpratap Shrimal disclosed the details during a press conference.

The arrested individuals include Subhasree, her alleged lovers and cousins, Tapas Kumar Khilar (26) and Priti Prava Priyadarsini Khilar (alias Chinu), all hailing from Jajpur, as well as Suraj Singh (27) and Ankit Thakur (27) from Sundargarh, who were identified as suppliers of the firearms used in the crime.

Incident Overview

The incident took place on the evening of April 6 when Soumya Samal was returning to his rented residence in Kalimegha after closing his chicken shop at Gariapur Chhak in Jajpur town. He was shot at by an unidentified assailant on a motorcycle, suffering severe injuries. After being rushed to Jajpur District Headquarters Hospital, he was subsequently transferred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, where he later died from his injuries.

Following the incident, Jajpur police formed three specialized teams to investigate the murder due to its sensitive nature. Superintendent Shrimal noted that the prime suspect, Tapas, who works as a driver in Rourkela, and the two firearm suppliers were apprehended at their hideout in Rourkela.

Relationship Dynamics

According to police reports, Subhasree Behera, who was employed at a beauty parlour, had been in a long-standing relationship with Priti before marrying Soumya about 18 months ago. During her visits to Priti’s residence, she reportedly developed a romantic involvement with Tapas, Priti’s cousin.

Subhasree allegedly maintained her relationships with both men even after her marriage to Soumya. She often traveled with Tapas without informing her husband. Persuaded by Tapas, Subhasree attempted to initiate divorce proceedings against Soumya, who strongly opposed the idea.

Conflict and Conspiracy

It was reported that a few days after their marriage, Soumya discovered the alleged affair between his wife and the two cousins. He confronted them and expressed his disapproval, threatening to end such conduct. This confrontation intensified on March 4, when Soumya argued with Tapas regarding his cousin’s character, which allegedly motivated Tapas to plot Soumya’s murder.

In order to carry out the crime, Tapas acquired a country-made pistol and underwent training with the firearm, an operation facilitated by Suraj and Ankit for a payment of approximately ₹49,000 made by Priti. Following the plan, Tapas was able to execute the murder on April 6 based on information provided by Subhasree and Priti regarding Soumya’s location.