Toddler murder

Sambalpur: Police found the body of a four-year-old, who was murdered in Bijepur block of Bargarh district, on Monday. The police have arrested two persons in this connection and identified them as Sudhir Barik and Pramod Agrawal of Melchhamunda area in the district. The accused confessed to their crime and told the police that they took the boy from his home on February 8, made him unconscious and strangled him to death with a rope. Unable to hear the news of the murder, the aunt of toddler Piyush also died of cardiac arrest on Monday. The murderers confessed that it was a contract killing. Sources said a love affair gone wrong appeared to be the reason behind the murder. 

Bunk blow 

Bhubaneswar: Eighteen traffic constables, including four women, on Monday appeared before the deputy commissioner of police to explain why they were found allegedly bunking their duty. Sources said a few of them were found absent from the duty without prior information and a few not doing their dutt at traffic posts assigned to them. Police said the erring constables were censured and warned not to repeat the mistake.

Turtle record

Berhampur: The olive ridley sea turtles lay over 3.5 lakh eggs within a week of mass nesting on the Ganjam coast. The turtles laid over 3,55,000 eggs along Ganjam coast till the wee hours on Monday, said divisional forest officials. It is speculated that the turtles will break the all time record in laying eggs this year. The number of turtles had declined last year, but it has significantly increased this year at Gokharkuda and Podampeta-Rushikulya river mouths.

Bear attack

Balasore:  In yet another animal-man conflict, an elderly man was seriously injured after a bear attacked him on Monday morning. The incident took place when the man was going to his crop field in Balasore. The man was identified as Bhagaban Nayak, 70, of Mahishapata village in Nilagiri police limits. According to sources, a bear attacked the old man and Bhagaban screamed for help following which local villagers rushed to rescue him.