Puri: In a major breakthrough, Puri Police have arrested Madan Dalei, the prime accused in the sensational murder of his mother Annapurna Dalei, nearly 57 days after her decomposed body was discovered buried beneath a layer of cement inside a rented house in Puri.The accused was arrested in Jharkhand, where he was reportedly working at a snacks shop. Police traced him through technical surveillance after conducting searches across several locations in Odisha and other states.The case came to light on August 24, when police recovered the decomposed body of Annapurna Dalei, a 65-year-old woman, from a rented house owned by a resident Bhagirathi Sahoo on Patitapaban Lane near Jaigada Jaga under Kumbharpada police station limits in Puri.According to police, the murder had allegedly taken place on August 20. After his mother’s death, Madan reportedly attempted to conceal the body by covering it with cement beneath the kitchen floor to destroy evidence.He subsequently went to Mumbai, where he reportedly worked at odd jobs for around a month. He later moved to Jharkhand and took up work at a snacks shop.During this period, the accused allegedly sold his mobile phone and purchased a smaller handset to avoid being traced. Police said his nomadic lifestyle made it difficult to establish his digital footprint and track his movements.Technical surveillance helped police track himA special team led by the City Deputy Superintendent of Police was formed to trace the accused. Investigators conducted raids in Gajapati and Ganjam districts, as well as in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.Technical surveillance helped police track him.A special team led by the City Deputy Superintendent of Police was formed to trace the accused. Investigators conducted raids in Gajapati and Ganjam districts, as well as in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.Police also examined CCTV footagePuri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh said the police used multiple investigative methods, including technical surveillance and facial recognition system (FRS) technology, to track down the accused.Police probing circumstances of murder.According to police, Madan has reportedly confessed to the crime, but the exact sequence of events leading to his mother’s death remains under investigation.Investigators believe that after the woman’s death on August 20, the accused panicked and purchased cement from a shop near Gundicha Temple on August 21. He allegedly used it to cover the body before fleeing two days later.Police are continuing their investigation to establish the motive behind the murder and reconstruct the events surrounding the crime.
October 20, 2026
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