Bhubaneswar: Police in Nayagarh district on Thursday arrested a man and his mother on charges of murdering his two minor sons earlier this week for opposing his remarriage plans.
The deceased children, Akash Mohanty (14) and Bikash Mohanty (9), were found hanging at their residence in Dhanchangada village within Fatehgarh police station limits in the early hours of Monday. Initially, their father, Prakash Mohanty (40), and grandmother, Souri Mohanty (68), claimed the children took their own lives for unknown reasons.
Sensing foul play, the children’s uncle, Laxman Nayak, filed a police report on Monday, alleging that Prakash killed the boys as he intended to remarry following his wife Kuma Nayak’s alleged suicide about two-and-a-half-years ago. The motive for Kuma’s apparent suicide was attributed to a family dispute, police sources said.
“During the early hours of Monday, Prakash and his mother allegedly suffocated the children, who were asleep, and strangled them. They subsequently attempted to stage the murders as suicides by suspending the bodies from the ceiling beam by tying sarees around the necks of the two children,” Nayagarh SP S Susree told TOI.
Following the crime, Prakash left the home as planned. In the morning, Souri alerted the neighbours, claiming her grandchildren died by hanging themselves. Prakash returned later, stating he was away on business. Police said that Prakash’s father, Achyuta Mohanty (87), was present but unaware due to his age-related issues.
“Although initially maintaining the suicide narrative, both Prakash and Souri admitted to the killings during thorough questioning eventually. Investigators revealed that recently, a potential bride’s family visited the accused’s house to discuss marriage. After Kuma’s death, Prakash was looking for someone to marry. Akash and his brother opposed their father’s second marriage plans and disclosed it to their relatives,” Susree said.
According to police sources, the postmortem report disclosed strangulation marks on the necks of the deceased minors. Prakash, who is currently unemployed, previously operated a dhaba in Bhubaneswar. His establishment was demolished by BMC about a year ago for encroachment of govt land. He later returned to Nayagarh.
Bhubaneswar: Police in Nayagarh district on Thursday arrested a man and his mother on charges of murdering his two minor sons earlier this week for opposing his remarriage plans.
The deceased children, Akash Mohanty (14) and Bikash Mohanty (9), were found hanging at their residence in Dhanchangada village within Fatehgarh police station limits in the early hours of Monday. Initially, their father, Prakash Mohanty (40), and grandmother, Souri Mohanty (68), claimed the children took their own lives for unknown reasons.
Sensing foul play, the children’s uncle, Laxman Nayak, filed a police report on Monday, alleging that Prakash killed the boys as he intended to remarry following his wife Kuma Nayak’s alleged suicide about two-and-a-half-years ago. The motive for Kuma’s apparent suicide was attributed to a family dispute, police sources said.
“During the early hours of Monday, Prakash and his mother allegedly suffocated the children, who were asleep, and strangled them. They subsequently attempted to stage the murders as suicides by suspending the bodies from the ceiling beam by tying sarees around the necks of the two children,” Nayagarh SP S Susree told TOI.
Following the crime, Prakash left the home as planned. In the morning, Souri alerted the neighbours, claiming her grandchildren died by hanging themselves. Prakash returned later, stating he was away on business. Police said that Prakash’s father, Achyuta Mohanty (87), was present but unaware due to his age-related issues.
“Although initially maintaining the suicide narrative, both Prakash and Souri admitted to the killings during thorough questioning eventually. Investigators revealed that recently, a potential bride’s family visited the accused’s house to discuss marriage. After Kuma’s death, Prakash was looking for someone to marry. Akash and his brother opposed their father’s second marriage plans and disclosed it to their relatives,” Susree said.
According to police sources, the postmortem report disclosed strangulation marks on the necks of the deceased minors. Prakash, who is currently unemployed, previously operated a dhaba in Bhubaneswar. His establishment was demolished by BMC about a year ago for encroachment of govt land. He later returned to Nayagarh.