Police in Jharsuguda arrested a 40-year-old man on Sunday for allegedly shooting a four-month pregnant woman inside her home in the Talipada area of Sarbahal. The suspect, Lokesh Kumar Padhan, a resident of Kilasama village under the Sasan police jurisdiction in Sambalpur district, was apprehended within 24 hours of the incident. Authorities stated that Padhan attacked the woman on Friday night due to a longstanding feud, believing that her child was linked to the death of his son last year.
The incident occurred around 9:30 PM on Friday when Padhan entered the victim’s residence and fired at her while she was resting. Upon hearing the gunshot, her husband rushed to help her, but Padhan allegedly assaulted him and locked the door from the outside before fleeing the scene. The woman sustained a bullet wound and was initially taken to the Jharsuguda district headquarters hospital before being transferred to VIMSAR in Burla.
Upon receiving the report, Jharsuguda police arrived at the crime scene and initiated an investigation. Several police teams conducted searches in and around the district, resulting in the suspect’s arrest within a day. Jharsuguda SP GR Raghavendra indicated that preliminary investigations showed Padhan had acquired the firearm from Bihar approximately two months prior and had conducted multiple reconnaissance missions of the victim’s home before executing the attack.
