In a major breakthrough in the Nirgundi double murder case in Odisha’s Cuttack district, police on Friday arrested three persons suspected to be directly involved in the killing of two youths. The arrested accused include a garage manager, a staffer, and a security guard working at the garage where the bodies were found.

According to preliminary investigations, the accused allegedly detained the two youths, tied them to poles, and assaulted them brutally, leading to their deaths. Police suspect the victims were mistaken for thieves due to previous theft incidents reported at the garage.

Sources said the accused allegedly played loud music to drown out the victims’ screams while carrying out the assault and were reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. Following the arrests, police launched intensified search operations to apprehend other individuals believed to be linked to the crime. Multiple teams have been deployed, and raids are being conducted at various locations.

The two victims were found dead inside a motor garage near the Tangi–Nirgundi railway station along National Highway-16 under Tangi police limits on Wednesday. The deceased were identified as Md Soheb of Teruan village and Prashant Kumar Jena of the Choudwar Jatra Padia area. Injury marks on their bodies had raised strong suspicion of murder.

Police officials stated that further details, including the motive behind the killings and the roles of other suspects, will be revealed after sustained interrogation. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests are likely in the coming days.