Chaibasa (Jharkhand), March 20 Jharkhand Police has arrested an accused in a murder case about three weeks after the incident from the West Singhbhum district, while he was allegedly planning to flee to Tamil Nadu, an official said on Friday.
Laxman Hessa (24), a resident of Chalgi village within the Tonto police station limits, had been on the run since the crime took place on March 2, said Jagannathpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer Raphael Murmu.
"Hessa had returned home to collect his Aadhaar card before fleeing to Tamil Nadu when a police team raided the house and arrested him on Thursday," Murmu said.
The other accused, Hessa's brother-in-law Ganesh Purty of Pandrasali village, is still at large, he added.
Murmu said the village head of Chalgi informed the police after villagers spotted bloodstains near a well close to Hessa's paddy field and the clothes of the victim, Sridhar Bari (36), in nearby bushes.
During the investigation, police received technical information, which led to the arrest of the accused, the officer added.
According to Murmu, the victim had visited his paternal uncle's house in Chalgi to celebrate the Maghe festival and had consumed liquor.
"In an inebriated state, the victim, who had earlier spoken to Hessa's sister Laxmi, went to her house and started harassing family members," he said.
In a fit of rage, Hessa and his brother-in-law hit the victim with firewood, resulting in his death.
Murmu said, in an attempt to hide evidence, they dumped the body in the well, which was later recovered by the police.
Police also recovered the blood-stained firewood used in the crime and the victim's jacket.