JHARSUGUDA: A day after former Vice-Chancellor of Sambalpur University Prof Dhruba Raj Naik was hacked to death at Kuaramal village in Laikera, police on Monday said the accused killed the octogenarian over the lease of a fish pond.
Prabin Dhurua, the accused, was earlier arrested for illegally fishing in Naik’s pond. Jharsuguda SP Bikash Chandra Das said the Rs 100 demand by Dhurua was an excuse to murder 83-year-old Naik. After his release from jail, Dhurua was waiting for an opportunity to avenge his arrest. Three years back, Naik had given his two fish ponds on lease to one Anjan Kumar Bag. But Dhurua along with some locals was stealing fish from the ponds.
On June 2, the accused and two of his associates assaulted the watchman of the ponds following which Anjan lodged an FIR with police. Basing on the complaint, police arrested Dhurua and his two aides. Holding Naik responsible for his arrest, Dhurua decided to take revenge after being released from jail.
At around 11.30 am on Sunday, the accused went to Naik’s residence with an axe. Though the former VC was not present in the house, Dhurua went inside his bedroom. On being informed about Dhurua’s act by his family members over phone, Naik arrived at his residence within a few minutes.
When Dhurua started yelling at him, Naik asked him to go out of the house and simultaneously narrated the happenings to his nephew over phone. All of a sudden, the accused hit his neck with the axe and fled. A profusely bleeding Naik was rushed to a private nursing home at Jharsuguda where he breathed his last.
Dhurua was nabbed by police from a nearby forest within a couple of hours of the incident with the help of villagers. On the day, the accused was produced in court and remanded to judicial custody.