Sambalpur, June 13: Bargarh police unravelled the mystery behind the death of Kabilal Suna alias Kunda, whose body was recovered from Lakhna-Harishankar railway track on May 4, 2012.

Investigation revealed that Kabilal had been beaten up, and his body was dumped on the railway track.

Yesterday, the police arrested 15 persons in this connection. Another accused, Pabitra Majhi, is, however, still at large. The accused have been remanded to judicial custody after their bail plea was rejected. Those arrested have been identified as Paduram Majhi, 48, Narway Majhi, 40, Tikchand Majhi, 32, Abhilal Majhi, 25, Rayamal Majhi, 35, Deba Majhi, 50, Kantilal Majhi, 38, Dharamsingh Majhi, 35, Dhanu Majhi, 55, Rikhiram Dharua, 35, Sabachanna Majhi, 36, Madan Majhi, 47, Tichand Majhi alias Mota, 28, Basulal Netam, 32, and Prahallad Netam, 19.

All of them hail from Ganjadabar village, which falls in the Paikmal police limits in Bargarh district.

Briefing the media yesterday, Bargarh superintendent of police Ashis Singh said: "On May 8, 2012, Hetu Suna of Jalgarh village in the Paikmal police limits had lodged a complaint that three bullocks belonging to Brusabha Majhi, Abhilal Majhi and Butia Majhi had been stolen on May 1 of the same year.

The complainant said he had suspected the involvement of his younger brother, Kabilal Suna, in the theft. They searched for his brother and found Kabilal at Jharbandh village on May 4.

The complainant, along with other villagers, brought him to Ganjadabar village and after killing him, dumped his body on the railway track to eliminate evidence of murder and mislead the police.

However, though a murder case had been registered in this connection, the police initially failed to make any headway due to the absence of credible evidence.

But later, fresh investigation found some valuable clues. After a thorough verification of the clues, the cops were able to crack the case.

The police said that after tracing Kabilal at Jharbandh village on May 4, the culprits tied his hands and dragged him to Ganjadabar, mercilessly assaulting him all the way. At Ganjadabar, they had kept assaulting him till midnight as a result of which Kabilal lost his consciousness. Subsequently, the culprits carried him on a bicycle and dumped the victim on the railway track between Lakhna and Harishankar.