YouTuber stabbed to death in Bhubaneswar; Army jawan, his two nephews arrested

Bhubaneswar, Mar 1 (PTI) A 32-year-old YouTuber has been allegedly stabbed to death following a minor altercation in Bhubaneswar, police said on Sunday.

The incident took place in GGP Colony under the jurisdiction of Mancheswar police station around 9.30 pm on Saturday, and the deceased was identified as Rahul Maharana, a resident of Palasuni locality in the city.

Three persons, including an Army jawan and his two nephews, were arrested, a police officer said.

He said Maharana, who got married a couple of months ago, was attacked with a sharp weapon following an altercation with the intoxicated trio.

The arrested persons have been identified as Army jawan Sangram Kesari Behera (37) alias Satura and his two nephews, Samarendra Behera (20) alias Muna, and Sangram Behera (24) alias Kuna, he said.

"Two groups were sitting a little distance apart on a school ground in GGP Colony. Shiva, a friend of Maharana, was taking a stroll while speaking on the phone and reached near the other group of the accused persons. He was using abusive language on the phone to which the other group objected, leading to a heated argument between them," Bhubaneswar (zone-5) ACP Biswaranjan Senapati said.

When the three accused attacked Shiva, Maharana came to his rescue. The younger nephew of the jawan suddenly stabbed Maharana with a knife, which was in his possession, he said.

He was left in a pool of blood, and Shiva and other locals took him to a nearby private hospital. He was then shifted to Capital Hospital, where doctors declared him dead, the ACP said.

Police scrutinised the CCTV footage of the area and arrested the three persons, and seized two motorcycles, three mobile phones and a knife used in the crime, he said.

Ruling out any past enmity, Senapati said, "The cause of the incident was sudden provocation and a fight." "We appeal to people to inform the police if anyone is seen drinking in public," he added. PTI BBM ACD BBM ACD