Berhampur: Police have arrested eight persons in connection with the abduction and murder of real estate dealer Sudhir Patra of the Gopalpur area in Odisha’s Ganjam district. The accused include Patra’s nephew Tushar Kumar Patra and niece Nivedita Patra, along with Ashish Mohapatra, Narayan Pradhan, Kalu Charan Pradhan, Shubham Nayak, Shubham Gouda and Jitun Palei.

According to police, several other suspects are being questioned, and the number of arrests may increase. So far, around 19 people have been interrogated in the case.

The case relates to the kidnapping and murder of Sudhir Patra of Satyanarayanpur village under Gopalpur police limits. He was abducted on April 15 while travelling on a road. Soon after, the kidnappers contacted his wife through a WhatsApp call, demanding a ransom of ₹2 crore. They also sent a video showing Patra being assaulted, with a gun pointed at his head.

Following the complaint lodged by his wife, police formed multiple teams and launched a search operation across and beyond the district. Despite efforts for nearly a week, Patra could not be traced.

His decomposed body was later recovered from under a bridge near Rasipankal. Family members identified him based on his clothing. Preliminary investigation indicated that the body had been lying there for about seven days, suggesting that he may have been killed shortly after the abduction.

Police suspect that a land dispute could be the motive behind the crime. Further details are expected after an official press briefing.