THE charred body of a 38-yearold journalist missing since March 29 was found in a field in North Andaman district, police said on Wednesday. The body of Shahdeb Dey, the owner of a local news channel known as ‘Republic Andaman’, was found in a field from DeshbanduNagarinDiglipuron Tuesday, police said. Superintendent of Police, North andMiddleAndaman district, ShwetaK Sugathan said,“It is a murder case and we have picked up four people including a woman. The exact motive behind the murder is under investigation but preliminary probe revealed thatit happened over personal enmity involving the woman.”

 

TheSPsaidthosearrestedwere identified as Gangaiyya (who runs a bar cum restaurant in Diglipur),his twostaffmembersRamaSubramanianandRameshanda localwomanBitikaMallik. “Our probe is not yet over aswe are trying to get more detailson the exact motive behind themurder,” she said.

 

The SP said, “During interrogation of the arrested persons it came to know that on March 29, around 8 pm, Bitika calledShahdeb to meet her at NehruYuvaKendrainDiglipur.Shahdebwent to the place whereGangaiyya’s employee RamaSubramanian (who was waitingalong with Bitika for the victim)hit him with a blunt object andhe collapsed on the floor. It wasthen they took the body to asecluded place at DeshbandhuNagar where they disposed of the body by setting it on fire.” Shahdeb was vocal againstalleged illegal soil cutting, timbersmuggling,illegalhoochracket and gambling.