Bhubaneswar, Jun 30: The death toll in the brutal attack at Kolathia under Khandagiri police station limits in Bhubaneswar rose to two on Tuesday after a 54-year-old man succumbed to injuries sustained while trying to save his son from masked attackers, a source said.

The deceased, Himanshu Padhi, died while undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar. His son, 20-year-old Krushna Chandra Padhi, also known as Buddhi, was killed in the attack on Monday.

Father Succumbs to Injuries
Himanshu, a priest at a local temple, had suffered critical injuries after intervening when two masked assailants allegedly attacked his son inside their house.

His daughter, Tapasi Padhi, who also attempted to protect her family, sustained injuries and remains under treatment.

Attack Inside Family Home
According to the source, the attack took place in the early hours of Monday when two unidentified men allegedly entered the family's residence at Kolathia and assaulted Krushna with an iron rod.

Krushna, a second-year undergraduate student and a native of Sorada in Odisha's Ganjam district, died from his injuries on Monday.

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The Padhi family had been living on a relative's land near National Highway-16 in Kolathia for nearly two decades. Police said the family had also lost Krushna's mother about a year ago.

Revenge Angle Under Probe
The source informed that police are exploring a possible revenge angle. Chats recovered from Krushna's mobile phone allegedly suggest he had multiple romantic relationships, which could have triggered a dispute. However, the exact motive has not yet been conclusively established, and the investigation is underway.

Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the two masked assailants, who fled after the attack.