An 83-year-old former vice-chancellor was axed to death at his home by a suspected drunk intruder who demanded Rs 100 from the octogenarian’s wife in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district on Sunday afternoon.

The victim has been identified as Dhruva Raj Naik, 83, former vice-chancellor of Sambalpur University. Prabin Dharua, 20, the suspect, has been detained.

The accused belongs to Naik’s village Kuanrmal in Jharsuguda, Odisha, about 340km from here.

Naik’s son-in-law Sapan Kumar told local reporters: “The accused barged into the house in an inebriated condition at 11.30am and demanded Rs 100. He had an argument with my mother in-law. Hearing the noise, others and I rushed to the spot following which he started retreating. At that point, my father-in-law, who had gone to the market, entered the house, confronted the accused and threatened to call the police.”

Dharua started retreating and Naik followed him to the gate, which he wanted to lock up to stop trespassers like him.

“But suddenly Dharua, who was carrying an axe, attacked Naik with it. The accused fled leaving him bleeding profusely,” the relative said.

Naik was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead. Family members said there was previous enmity between the accused and Naik.

Jharsuguda SP Bikash Chandra Das told The Telegraph: “There was a heated argument between Naik and the accused. Naik was furious as the accused had entered his bedroom. We have arrested the accused from a nearbyforest.”

Naik started out as a lecturer in 1962 and retired in 1998. Later, he was appointed as the vice-chancellor.