Rourkela: Jhirpani police on Thursday claimed to have cracked a 30-month-old murder case involving a farmer who was allegedly killed for his pick-up vehicle, arresting two accused.The case pertains to the murder of Mangal Oram (44) of Jamberna village in Bisra block, who had gone to the Jhirpani weekly market with his pick-up van on Feb 28, 2024, and went missing thereafter. His body was recovered from a waterlogged agricultural field at Kharwagada under Jaldega police station limits in Jharkhand’s Simdega district. Following the identification of the body, Jhirpani police registered a murder case on March 8, 2024.Police arrested Rahul alias Sardhan Sharma (48) and Ajay Patra (33). Investigators said the duo allegedly hired Oram’s vehicle from the weekly market on the pretext of transporting goods. According to police, the duo offered Oram tea laced with sedatives near KTH chowk. After he lost consciousness, they allegedly drove him and the vehicle into Jharkhand. Oram was then thrown into a waterlogged field near Kharwagada, where he drowned, police said. They allegedly fled with the pick-up van and sold it for Rs 1.70 lakh. Police have recovered the stolen vehicle.Preliminary investigation suggests the murder was committed to steal the pick-up van. Police said the arrested men have multiple criminal antecedents involving theft and robbery. “Two accused have been arrested in the case. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the involvement of other persons and recover other stolen vehicles,” said M R Pradhan, DSP, Zone-I, Rourkela.