Puri police arrest three in tantric murder and gold fraud case

Puri police have arrested three individuals in connection with the murder of Parshuram Pradhan, a self-styled tantric in the Kanas block. The suspects, identified as Rajkishore Sahu, Satyabrata Mallick, and Suresh Sahu, allegedly killed Pradhan following a financial dispute involving a fraudulent gold idol scam.

According to investigators, the motive stemmed from an extortion scheme where Pradhan claimed a gold Durga idol and jewelry were buried underground. He allegedly extracted nearly Rs 2 lakh from Rajkishore Sahu under the pretext of unearthing the treasure. When the money was not returned and the idol failed to materialize, the suspects allegedly planned a revenge attack.

On the night of the incident, the accused reportedly arrived at the victim's home armed with a knife, chili powder, and petrol. Police state that during an argument, the victim was stabbed, restrained, and set on fire while still alive. Authorities have seized a knife, a motorcycle, and mobile phones used during the crime.