On April 6, 23-year-old Soumya Sagar Samal informed his wife that he would be home shortly after closing his shop. Tragically, he never made it home; he was shot by assailants on motorcycles in Kalimegha, located in Jajpur, Odisha. Soumya later died at SCB Medical College in Cuttack, hours after the attack.
On Monday, local authorities apprehended five individuals, including Soumya’s wife, Subhasree Behera, who is suspected of having provided the attackers with information about her husband’s whereabouts. Soumya, originally from Kuansarapur in Jajpur, had been married to Subhasree for a year and a half, and the couple resided in a rented accommodation in Jajpur.
Investigators believe that the motive behind the murder may be linked to marital issues and a potential love triangle. Jajpur Superintendent of Police Yashpratap Shrimal stated, “On the day of the incident, his wife was allegedly sharing Soumya’s location with the suspects. We possess call logs, including details from WhatsApp calls.”
Technical analysis of Subhasree’s phone indicated that she had been involved in a six-year relationship with Priti Prava Priyadarsini, with whom she co-owned a beauty salon in Jajpur. During a visit to Priti’s residence, Subhasree reportedly began a relationship with her cousin, Tapas Khilar. The police indicated that Tapas urged Subhasree to divorce Soumya, but she claimed that was not an option.
As tensions escalated, Soumya confronted Subhasree and her acquaintances about her relationships, issuing threats for them to cease contact. The investigation revealed that a confrontation between Soumya and Tapas occurred on March 4.
Authorities uncovered that the cousins plotted the murder and confided in Subhasree about their plans. Evidence showed a series of UPI transactions totaling Rs 49,000 made to gun traffickers Suraj Singh and Ankit Thakur in Rourkela to facilitate the purchase of a firearm. Tapas, a driver residing in Rourkela, acquired the pistol on March 27 after paying an additional Rs 9,000 and underwent training on its use.
On the night of April 6, between 10:30 and 10:45 PM, Tapas allegedly opened fire on Soumya after receiving updates about his location. Following the shooting, he returned home and concealed the firearm in a nearby overgrown area. The weapon has since been recovered, and five individuals, including Subhasree, Priti, Tapas, Ankit, and Suraj, have been arrested in connection with the murder.
Sujit Bisoyi serves as a Special Correspondent for the Indian Express, focusing on Odisha. His areas of interest include politics, policy, and human-interest stories. You can follow him on Twitter at @bisoyisujit87.
To stay informed about the latest updates, click here to follow us on Instagram.
