Two men were killed by their own relatives in separate incidents across Odisha on Sunday night, 15 June 2026, with both cases rooted in long-running property disputes. Police in Angul and Ganjam districts have registered cases and made arrests in connection with both killings.

Brother kills brother in Angul

In the first incident, a 26-year-old man allegedly hacked his elder brother to death with an axe in the Purunakote Police Station area of Angul district. The murder took place late on Sunday night, though police received information only on Monday morning.

The accused has been identified as Bipin Sitha of Pukunda village, the youngest among four brothers. The victim, Titun Sitha, was the second-oldest sibling. According to police, the two had been at loggerheads over a property dispute for several years. On Sunday night, a heated argument escalated rapidly, and Bipin allegedly attacked Titun with an axe, killing him on the spot.

Police arrived at the scene along with a scientific team and found the accused sitting near the body. He was arrested immediately. The victim's body was sent to District Headquarters Hospital, Angul, for a postmortem. Local sources indicated that Bipin had been suffering from mental health problems. A case bearing number 112/2026 has been registered at the Purunakote police station.

Son beats father to death in Ganjam

In a separate incident the same evening, an elderly man was beaten to death by his son in the Gosaninuagaon Police Station area of Ganjam district. The accused, Biraja Prasad Mohanty, 46, of the Tota Sahi area in Gosani Nuagaon, allegedly assaulted his 76-year-old father, Sarat Chandra Mohanty, with a wooden plank during an altercation over property-related issues.

According to police, Biraja was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. When his mother intervened to protect her husband, the accused allegedly turned on her as well, leaving her seriously injured. Both parents were rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, Berhampur, where Sarat Chandra succumbed to his injuries late on Sunday night. The mother remains under treatment at the same hospital.

Pattern of domestic violence over property

Both incidents underscore a troubling pattern of fatal family disputes, particularly over inherited property, in rural Odisha. Such conflicts have been documented with increasing frequency across the state, often exacerbated by the absence of formal dispute-resolution mechanisms at the village level. Notably, in both cases Sunday night, alcohol or mental health factors were cited by local sources as contributing elements.

Police response and investigation

Authorities in both districts have initiated formal investigations. In the Angul case, the accused was apprehended at the scene. In the Ganjam case, police have identified the accused and are pursuing legal proceedings. Senior police officers confirmed both arrests and stated that further investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events.