Bhubaneswar, Mar 16 (IANS): A 25-year-old youth was hacked to death following an altercation over a love triangle in the Laxmisagar area here. The deceased has been identified as Anjan Behera, a resident of Chintamaniswar under the Laxmisagar police limits.

“I was in Khurda for some personal work when the prime accused, Pinku, contacted me over the phone and asked me to meet him in Chintamaniswar. I reached there along with Anjan at around 1.45 a.m. on Saturday.

"Pinku and five others, including a girl, also reached the spot. During the conversation, Pinku suddenly got enraged and assaulted Anjan with a sword. I managed to escape while Pinku and the others brutally assaulted Anjan,” said Gautam Sahoo, the deceased's friend.

Sources said that Pinku, a habitual criminal, was allegedly in a relationship with a girl from Chintamaniswar for the past couple of years. Meanwhile, Gautam, a bartender, and Pinku's girlfriend came into contact and became friends. Their relationship irked Pinku, who had recently returned from jail.

“On Friday evening, Pinku asked Gautam to meet him at a spot near his girlfriend's house in Chintamaniswar for a discussion. Accordingly, Gautam and the deceased, who had gone to attend a marriage function on the outskirts of the city, reached the spot at around 1.45 a.m. in the night.

"They engaged in an argument which soon turned violent, as Pinku and the others brutally attacked Anjan with sharp-edged weapons. He was rescued by the locals and rushed to a hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Efforts are on to nab the absconding accused persons,” said P. Shyam Sundar Rao, Inspector In-Charge, Laxmisagar police station.