Bhubaneswar man beaten to death by drug-addicted son in Mancheswar area
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A 50-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death by his 25-year-old drug-addicted son in the Mancheswar police station area of Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on Tuesday, 28 July, in what police describe as a dispute over de-addiction medication. The killing marks the second fatal assault reported within 24 hours under the same police station limits.
Who the Victim and Accused Are
Police identified the deceased as S. Duryadhan (50), a labour contractor and resident of the Mancheswar area. His only son, S. Debaraj (25), has been detained in connection with the killing and is set to be produced before a court.
What Triggered the Attack
Biswaranjan Senapati, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Zone V), told reporters that preliminary investigation points to a dispute over Debaraj's drug use as the immediate trigger. Debaraj was reportedly a habitual brown sugar addict who had previously been admitted to a de-addiction centre by his father.
According to Senapati, Duryadhan had, on medical advice, been mixing prescribed de-addiction medicine into a bidi and offering it to his son whenever the latter asked for a regular cigarette or bidi. Debaraj allegedly resented this arrangement and had been involved in repeated arguments with his father over the practice.
How the Incident Unfolded
A heated altercation erupted on Monday night, reportedly forcing the accused's mother and other family members to leave the house out of fear. On Tuesday morning, with only father and son at home, the dispute resumed when Duryadhan again offered his son a bidi laced with the prescribed medicine instead of a regular one.
Debaraj allegedly flew into a rage, first attacking his father with an iron pipe and subsequently bludgeoning him with a stone, according to police. Senapati also noted that family members disclosed the accused has a brain tumour and is prone to sudden violent outbursts.
Police Response and Investigation
Upon receiving information, a police team along with a scientific team reached the crime scene and launched an investigation. Debaraj has been detained at the police station, and authorities have indicated he will be produced before a court. The case is being investigated under the Mancheswar police station jurisdiction.
Second Killing in 24 Hours in the Same Area
Notably, this incident follows a separate killing reported within the previous 24 hours in the Chakeisiani area, also under Mancheswar police station limits, where a woman was allegedly murdered by her husband. Two fatal assaults within a single day under one police station has drawn attention to law and order in the locality. Investigators are treating both cases independently.