3 men arrested, juvenile detained in assault outside Tamando cafe

Bhubaneswar: City police on Wednesday arrested three men and detained a 17-year-old boy in connection with the armed assault on people outside a café in Patrapada under Tamando police limits late Monday night. Police officials said the attack stemmed from a long-standing enmity between café owner Kabiraj Lenka and the accused. Police are also probing possible political links of the dispute.

While Lenka was not present during the incident, his friends outside the café became the targets. Police are also searching for three other suspects linked to the late-night violence, which has sparked concerns over law and order in the city.


According to reports, around 11:50 pm a group of men arrived on three motorcycles and launched a sudden assault on four persons chatting outside the café. CCTV footage showed the gang brandishing swords and attacking indiscriminately, before vandalising three cars parked nearby.

“They had previous enmity with the café owner. The reason behind this hostility is under investigation. To settle personal scores, they came to attack the owner, but since he was absent, his friends were targetted,” said DCP Jagmohan Meena.

The arrested men have been identified as Subham Behera (20), Soumya Ranjan Behera (23), and Priyabrata Nayak (22). Police noted that Soumya has a history of criminal activity, including four prior cases of attempted murder, theft, and assault in Khandagiri and Khurda. Nayak, meanwhile, was previously implicated in an attempt to murder case in Khandagiri.