Puri

A hotel owner in Odisha’s Puri district was allegedly stabbed to death on Wednesday, following which police arrested one of the accused after an encounter, a senior officer said.

The accused, reportedly a staff member of the same hotel, sustained injuries during the exchange of fire with police and has been admitted to a hospital in Cuttack for treatment.

According to Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh, the incident involved a group of three to four individuals who allegedly attacked hotel owner Pabitra Nayak in the Baliapanda area early in the morning before fleeing the scene.

Following the incident, police examined CCTV footage from the vicinity and identified the main suspect.

During a chase operation, the accused allegedly opened fire on the police team, prompting retaliatory firing in which he was injured, the SP said.

A police official stated that the accused suffered a bullet wound in his leg and was first taken to the Puri district headquarters hospital before being referred to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Authorities have launched a search operation to trace the other individuals involved in the murder. The victim’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

While the exact motive remains unclear, preliminary investigation suggests that the killing may have stemmed from a dispute related to room booking.

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Police said the investigation is ongoing to establish the full sequence of events and determine the precise reason behind the attack.