Bilaspur (HP), March 14 A sheep herder was allegedly killed by his helper in the Guga Malhot area of the Bilaspur district, police said on Saturday.
The accused killed the victim by repeatedly striking his neck with an axe on Friday night, they said, adding that he fled the spot afterwards and remains at large.
The killing has led to an atmosphere of fear in the area.
The deceased was reportedly a 45-year-old man, a native of the Kullu district. He had been camping temporarily in the forests of Malhot since December, accompanied by his two helpers.
A heated argument erupted between the sheep herder and one of his helpers, a resident of Palampur in Kangra district, over a financial transaction. The name of the accused has not yet been disclosed.
According to police, driven by a grudge over the argument, the accused attacked the sleeping sheep herder with an axe at night and struck multiple blows, killing him instantly. He fled through the forest subsequently.
The other helper present at the scene alerted police. Upon receiving the information, a team from the Shah Talai police station arrived at the spot and inspected the crime scene, police said.
A forensic team was also called, which collected crucial clues from the site, they said.
The body of the deceased was sent to AIIMS Bilaspur for a post-mortem examination.
Bilapsur SP Sandeep Dhawal said police have registered a case of murder. The accused has been identified and special police teams are currently conducting raids at potential hideouts to arrest the accused, he added.