18 Arrested For Killing Minor In Chilika Lake Over Fishing Dispute
The incident took place on Monday night when the minor had gone into Chilika Lake for fishing.
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have arrested 18 persons within 48 hours in connection with the alleged murder of a minor boy inside Chilika Lake following a dispute over fishing, officials said on Thursday.
All the arrested accused are residents of Chandraput village under Balugaon police limits in Odisha’s Khordha district.
Acting on the instructions of Puri Superintendent of Police, a special team of Krushnaprasad police station conducted raids at Chandraput village and apprehended the main accused along with others allegedly involved in the crime. Police teams are continuing raids at different locations to trace more persons suspected to be linked to the incident.
The incident took place on Monday night when the minor had gone into Chilika Lake for fishing. According to police, a dispute reportedly broke out during the fishing activity and later turned violent. The boy was allegedly assaulted inside a boat, following which his body was recovered from the lake waters.
Police had launched a search operation after receiving information that the boy had allegedly been kidnapped and assaulted. Teams searched the waters and surrounding areas between Krushnaprasad and Balugaon before recovering the body from the spot where the alleged altercation had taken place.
Following the recovery of the body, police intensified the investigation and began efforts to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack. The main accused was arrested within 24 hours, while the total number of arrests rose to 18 within two days.
Further investigation is underway, and raids are being conducted to nab other accused persons allegedly involved in the murder.