Balangir, May 22: Balangir police on Saturday arrested the prime accused in the double murder case that had rocked the town three days ago. The accused, 22-year-old Madan Naik, was remanded in judicial custody after the SDJM court here rejected his bail plea.

The police said the families of Pramod Meher and Lingaraj Naik of Kermeli village under Balangir sadar police were fighting a legal battle over a land dispute. Additional superintendent of police, Balangir, Srikanta Mishra, said: “The land dispute was referred to the court by the local police. The court had given the verdict in favour of Pramod Meher, the deceased person. Yet, there was a problem regarding some trees on the disputed land. There was a brawl between the two parties over cutting of trees and that had led to the killing of two persons on last Wednesday.”

The police said Pramod Meher and his 14-year-old son Subodh had gone to the land where the accused, Madan Naik, reached after some time. They both had a heated exchange of words over the cutting of trees. Madan suddenly attacked Pramod with a tangi (an axe-like weapon). When Pramod’s son Subodh tried to save his father, he also sustained injuries on his head and neck. He died on the spot. Madan then hacked Pramod on the spot and fled.

Balangir’s sub-divisional police officer Balabhadra Majhi said police had seized the tangi.