A businessman was murdered in Odisha’s Baripada on Friday morning allegedly by a distant relative who barged into his home, slit his throat and left him in a pool of blood.

Snehasis Panda, alias Tikulu, 58, lived at Bhanjapur in Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj.

A puja was going near Tikulu’s house for the Dola Yatra and all were busy with it. Tikulu, who was also a contractor, was alone in his room when the attacker barged in.

Sources said the assailant was a distant relative of Tikulu. After slitting the businessman’s throat with a knife, the attacker managed to flee from the spot.

Hearing the commotion, the neighbours rushed to the spot and found Tikulu lying in a pool of blood.

Tikulu was rushed to the Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital where he was declared dead.

Police are collecting the CCTV footage from the crime site. A forensic team has reached the spot.

“We have launched a manhunt to arrest the accused. He will soon be nabbed,” said a police officer.

Asked about the motive behind the murder, the officer said: “We suspect business rivalry could be one of the reasons for murder.”