Bhubaneswar, March 27: In a shocking and tragic incident, a minor disagreement over mobile phone use escalated into a deadly confrontation in Khurda district. The murder took place at a roadside dhaba in the Balugaon area.

The victim, identified as Papu Dalabehera, was working alongside his colleague, Shantanu Pradhan, at the eatery. According to police reports, the fatal argument began when Papu was using Shantanu’s mobile phone for an extended period on the night of the incident. Tensions flared between the two youth, culminating in a heated exchange late into the night.

What began as a verbal spat quickly turned violent, leading to a physical altercation. In a fit of anger, Shantanu allegedly attacked Papu, ultimately beating him to death. The situation took a more gruesome turn when Shantanu is said to have used a sharp weapon to slit Papu’s throat.

"I attacked him (Papu) after he assaulted me first," Shantanu Pradhan reportedly stated.

According to Balugaon SDPO Sanjay Patnaik, "Papu was watching videos on Shantanu's phone late at night when Shantanu asked him to stop and go to sleep. This led to a heated argument, during which Shantanu attacked Papu with a sharp-edged weapon, resulting in his death."