In a breakthrough, Diglipur Police have cracked the sensational murder case of local YouTube journalist Sahadev Dey and arrested four individuals, including a woman, in connection with the crime.
Dey (38), a reporter with the “News Republic Andaman” YouTube channel, was reported missing on March 30 by his wife, Smti. Debadriti Dey, a resident of RK Gram. Following the complaint, multiple police teams were formed and an intensive search operation was launched, combining technical surveillance and ground intelligence.
CCTV footage analysis revealed that the victim was last seen around 8 PM on March 29 near the Diglipur fish market. Further footage traced a suspicious vehicle seen near the location around 10:45 PM. The vehicle was identified as belonging to one S. Gangaya, a resident of RK Gram. During interrogation, Gangaya initially tried to mislead investigators but later confessed to murdering Dey with the help of three associates. Subsequently, FIR No. 24/2025 under sections 103(1)/61(2)/238 of the BNS, 2023 was registered on April 1 at PS Diglipur.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed under the supervision of SDPO Shri Ankesh Yadav (DANIPS), and SHO Inspector Vijay Kumar to probe the case further.
According to police, Gangaya held a long-standing grudge against Dey. He orchestrated an elaborate plan involving:
- A. Ramasubramaniyan (47), a resident of Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu, currently residing at DB Gram,
- Bithika Mallick (38), wife of Binoy Biswas, a resident of Kalipur, Diglipur, and
- M. Ramesh (45), a mason from DB Gram, originally from Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu.
Bithika, who had known Dey personally, was used to lure him to a building on March 29. As per the plan, Dey arrived at the location around 8:15 PM and was brutally assaulted and murdered by the accused. His body was later moved to an under-construction hotel owned by Gangaya at DB Gram, where it was set on fire in a bid to destroy evidence.
Following the registration of the case, a forensic team was rushed to the spot and was able to collect vital forensic evidence linking the accused to the crime. The exact location of the murder was identified, and the weapon used, along with the clothes worn by the accused during the act, were recovered. Despite multiple attempts by the accused to mislead police, the deceased’s bag and mobile phone were also recovered after extensive efforts.
Investigation so far confirms that Gangaya is the key conspirator and had roped in the others to execute the murder and destroy all traces. Further investigation is ongoing.
All seized items will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Sri Vijaya Puram and other central forensic labs for technical and biological analysis. The arrested have been produced before court and remanded to judicial custody. Police are working to file the chargesheet at the earliest.
Shweta K. Sugathan, IPS, Superintendent of Police, North & Middle Andaman District, Mayabunder, informed The Andaman Wave that the details currently shared are all that can be made public at this stage. “Further information, if any, will be released to the press in due course,” she stated.
Authorities have urged the public to share any credible information regarding criminal or suspicious activities by calling 100, 112, or 03192-273344. The identity of informants will be kept confidential and rewarded accordingly.
