Crime News / Man Arrested 57 Days After Killing Mother, Concealing Body Under Kitchen Floor In Puri's Kumbharpada

Puri, Oct 20: Puri police have arrested Madan Dalai, the 42-year-old man accused of killing his elderly mother and concealing her body beneath a layer of plaster at their rented house in Kumbharpada. He was arrested in Jharkhand, 57 days after the incident came to light on August 24, a source said on Tuesday.

According to police, Dalai was working at a snacks shop in Jharkhand when Kumbharpada police traced him and conducted a raid. Investigators said the alleged murder took place on August 20, four days before the case came to light.

Body Concealed Beneath Plastered Floor
Police said Dalai became agitated after his mother died on August 20. The following day, he allegedly procured cement from a shop near Gundicha Temple and used it to cover the body with plaster.

He reportedly stayed at the house for another two days before fleeing on August 23. According to the police account, he initially travelled by bus and later took a train to Titilagarh before proceeding to Raipur.

The accused allegedly sold his mobile phone and bought a basic handset to avoid being traced. He reportedly spent about a month doing odd jobs in Mumbai before moving to Jharkhand, where he found work at a snacks shop.

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Police Track Accused Across States
Puri Police launched an extensive search operation across Gajapati, Ganjam districts of Odisha, along with Jharkhand and Maharashtra. Investigators also examined CCTV footage from the rented accommodation and used technical surveillance to trace the accused.

Police reportedly gathered information from Dalai’s brother and subsequently tracked his sister’s mobile phone, which helped them locate him in Jharkhand.

The police also learnt that Dalai’s family had left their ancestral village in Kashinagar, Gajapati district, around 25 years ago.

According to the police, Dalai had been living a nomadic lifestyle, which made it difficult to establish his digital footprint and trace his movements.

Case Came To Light After Foul Smell
The incident came to light on August 24 after other tenants at the rented accommodation on Masjid Lane in Kumbharpada complained of a foul smell coming from Dalai’s portion of the house.

The house owner, Manorama Sahu, had earlier said that Dalai and his mother had been living in the rented accommodation for around three months.

Police had launched a search for Dalai after learning that he was missing. Investigators said the accused has confessed to the crime, but the exact sequence of events on the night of August 20 remains unclear.