Caretaker Arrested in Surat for Bhubaneswar Widow's Killing
His arrest follows a multi-state hunt built on CCTV footage and mobile tracking that enables his transfer to Bhubaneswar for prosecution.
Overview
- Odisha and Gujarat police captured 40-year-old Balbhadra Ramcharan Maharana in Surat after he fled the Bhubaneswar case of 76-year-old Kunjalata Nanda.
- Investigators say Nanda was found tied and dead with neck injuries after an attack on November 3 and that the caretaker is accused of strangling her during a robbery.
- Police traced Maharana through multiple mobile numbers and CCTV footage that showed him leaving the house on a scooter with jewellery and valuables.
- Officers recovered some of the stolen property, which police say included about Rs 32,000 in cash and 50–60 grams of gold, and are arranging his transit remand to Laxmisagar Police in Bhubaneswar.
- The arrest closes the cross-state manhunt and raises fresh questions about screening and oversight of domestic caretakers for lone elderly residents.