4 arrested in Puri daylight attack case; victim still critical

Puri: Two days after a 35-year-old man was brutally attacked in broad daylight in Kanas area of Puri district, police arrested four accused on Monday, and seized the weapon used in the crime, along with a mobile phone. Meanwhile, the condition of victim Mrutyunjaya Bharimal, a resident of Dokanda village, continues to remain critical at AIIMS-Bhubaneswar, according to doctors treating him. The arrested accused have been identified as Dharma Niranjan Badjena (21), Chandrakanta Jena (39), Chinmaya Gajendra (20) and Ajay Baliarsingh, all are from villages under Kanas police limits.Puri SP Prateek Singh said both the victim and accused have past criminal records, pointing to a history of rivalry between them. Baliarsingh is suspected to have helped the main accused escape after the attack.Police have intensified efforts to nab the other people involved in the crime, which took place on May 2 at Gola Bazar Chhaka. Bharimal was chased and attacked with a sharp weapon (‘paniki') by a group of miscreants in a crowded marketplace, before allegedly being run over with a motorcycle.Investigations revealed that the assailants tracked the victim's movement and executed the attack in a coordinated manner. A scientific team examined the spot and collected evidence. Statements of eyewitnesses have also been recorded.Multiple teams, including a special squad and cyber cell, were deployed to trace the accused. Police have intensified patrolling in the Kanas market area and deployed additional force to prevent any untoward incident.