Bhubaneswar, Feb 23: The police have arrested the third accused in the brutal murder of Kaushalyaganga Kinnar Anjali, 22 days after the incident. Chabina Kandi (35), who had been on the run since the crime, was found hiding in a hut in the forest near Barapada village of Tarkora Panchayat, under Ramchandi police station.

The operation was led by Ramchandi police officer-in-charge Bichitra Nanda Parida, who, along with his team, apprehended Chabina and brought him to the station for questioning. He was later handed over to the independent investigation team from Pipili police station handling the case.

Earlier, 11 days after the murder, the main accused Krishna Kandi (25) was arrested near the Nayara petrol pump on the Pipili-Bhubaneswar bypass. Within 24 hours, another accused, Sunil Kandi Orph Geza (22), was apprehended from Biantal village, Kurujang Panchayat, under Konark police station.

According to police, on the 1st of the month, the accused initially abducted Kinnar Anjali and removed her vanity gag, leading to a dispute among them. Subsequently, all three attacked her with knives, brutally murdering her.

Police have stated that the investigation is ongoing.