A teenager was stabbed to death by one of his male cousins over a prolonged property dispute at Daiguttu in Mango on Friday morning.
One of his family members made the fatal attack on the victim, identified as Uttam Kumar Sahu, after a minor altercation over dumping household garbage on disputed land in the morning.
The incident took place in front of the victim's house at Teli Line at the densely-populated Daiguttu at about 8am.
According to bereaved family members, Uttam, who was the only son of Madan Sahu, had indulged in the altercation with his cousins Sujeet, Sumeet, Monu and Sonu.
In a spur of the moment, one of the cousins, Sumeet, took out a dagger and started attacking the victim.
When Madan Sahu tried to save his son from the clutches of the attackers, three others attacked him and inflicted injuries.
Having injured Madan, the accused, Sumeet thrusted the dagger in Uttam's chest, causing him to fall down.
The family members said after Uttam fell down, Madan Sahu rushed him to MGM Medical College Hospital where the doctors on emergency duty declared him dead.
File photograph of the murder victim, Uttam Kumar Animesh Sengupta
Soon afterwards, a police party led by Mango OC Mithilesh Kumar reached the medical college hospital for investigation.
"The murder took place in sequel to a dispute over landed property of the Sahu family. We have taken Anirudh Prasad Sahu, who is the elder brother of Madan Sahu and one of his sons in custody. There were three more attackers who have absconded soon after the murder took place. We are trying to trace them," said Mithilesh Kumar while talking to The Telegraph Online.
The OC said Madan Sahu's brothers Anirudh and Nandlal were not giving the property's share to Madan, and that a case had been filed by the victim's family.
"Some members of Madan's family dumped domestic garbage in a plot of disputed land, triggering reaction from the families of Anirudh and Nandlal. After the situation became aggravated, the former’s sons attacked Madan and his son with a dagger, In the attack, Madan's son was killed and Madan himself sustained grievous head injury," said the police officer.
The search for the absconders has been intensified.
The murder victim's younger sister, Sujita Kumari said that her cousins and their wives would always quarrel with them over trifle matters as they wanted to oust them from their share of landed property.
"But it seemed they were awaiting for an opportunity and were prepared to kill my brother. This is why they started to attack my brother with a dagger in front of my eyes. As I tried to save him, the attackers pushed me away. They also hit my father with a stick and subsequently stabbed my brother," said Sujita while talking to this website.
In this connection, the police have registered a case of murder against Sujeet, Sumeet, Monu and Sonu besides others, based on a statement made by Madan Sahu, with the Mango police station.