Mayadhar Behera, 48, was a familiar face in Kadakala village’s market, where he sold chicken and eggs under the Nayakot police station jurisdiction. The tragedy unfolded on the evening of February 26, 2022. A routine visit by Uttam to the shop turned ugly with a quarrel rooted in past animosities. Half an hour later, Uttam returned with reinforcements—Upendra, driven by deep-seated enmity, and Navkishor—wielding dangerous arms.

What followed was a merciless attack. The assailants hacked and stabbed Mayadhar repeatedly until he succumbed at the scene. His body lay in a pool of blood as the perpetrators vanished into the night. Police registered the case based on the FIR by Mayadhar’s brother and launched a thorough probe.

Quick arrests followed: Uttam and Upendra within 24 hours, Navkishor after nearly a month on March 22. Prosecutor Pradeep Kumar Das presented irrefutable evidence, convincing the court of their guilt. This verdict not only punishes the guilty but also deters potential offenders in Odisha’s volatile rural pockets, emphasizing that no marketplace brawl justifies taking a life.