Bhubaneswar, June 17 (IANS) Tension ran high in the Pahala area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar on Wednesday as locals staged a road blockade over the alleged murder of a youth.

The Commissionerate Police identified the deceased as 34-year-old Prabhat Behera of Anantapur area under the Pahala police station limits in Bhubaneswar. He was working as a Hyva (truck) manager.

Behera’s body, bearing deep injury marks, was spotted by some locals near the village under mysterious circumstances on Wednesday morning. Subsequently, his relatives and villagers staged a road blockade on the Pahala road, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.

In the FIR, the deceased’s family members accused the Hyva owner and his brother of killing Behera over past enmity.

“Local residents have resorted to a road blockade demanding that the detained persons be brought to the spot, which is unreasonable. They are being persuaded,” police said.

The blockade was lifted after more than two hours following assurances from the police of appropriate action against the culprits.

Meanwhile, police have launched an investigation and detained the Hyva owner and his brother at Pahala Police Station. Police officials, along with a scientific team, visited the spot and collected incriminating materials from the crime scene.

The deceased’s brother told the media persons that neither of them had any enmity with anyone. He alleged that his brother was called outside by the accused as part of a planned move around midnight on Tuesday and was later murdered.

He further alleged that a few months ago, Prabhat had left the job after a quarrel with the owner over non-payment of salary, but he was later called back to work.

The family members suspect that past enmity might be the reason behind Behera’s murder, alleging that he had ongoing disputes with the accused before the incident. They demanded stringent action against the culprits behind the murder.

–IANS

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