Odisha: Main accused in teacher kidnapping-murder case found hanging in jail, wife alleges murder

Govind Sahu, the prime accused in the kidnapping and murder of a woman teacher in Kalahandi district of Odisha, was on Tuesday found hanging from a tree on the premises of a jail in Bolangir district, prompting his wife to allege that it was a case of murder.

DIG, Sambalpur, Anusoya Jena, said one guard at Kantabanji sub-jail has been placed under suspension on charges of dereliction of duty in the wake of the incident.

Authorities at the sub-jail said Sahu was found hanging from a tree with 'gamcha' (thin cotton towel) and was rushed to sub-divisional hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. He was scheduled to be produced before the court of judicial magistrate-first class on Tuesday.

Director General of Police S K Bansal, within hours of the incident, ordered a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) probe into the case. A 10-member police team comprising cyber and forensic experts has been formed to probe into the mystery behind Sahu's death.

Sahu's wife Sushma, who claimed that she had a chat over telephone with her husband at 11 am on Monday, told reporters that he was killed as ''part of a bigger conspiracy''. ''It was a well-planned murder,'' she said.

Speaking to local television channels, the wife said, ''He was keeping well and had enquired about the health condition of our son and his mother when I spoke with him on Monday.'' Sushma also stated that the police and jail authorities should have ensured his safety.

Claiming that her husband was mentally strong, she also said, ''There is no reason for him to commit suicide. He was in jail. He is a victim of a well-planned conspiracy by influential people, who were involved in the kidnap-and-murder case.'' Lodging a complaint of murder at Kegaon Police Station in Kalahandi district, she demanded a CBI probe into the matter. ''I have also requested the police to ensure security for my family,'' she said.

A 24-year-old teacher from Jhari village in Bolangir district went missing on October 8 last year, and her remains were allegedly found in a pit on the premises of a school, where she worked, some 11 days later.

Sahu, a close associate of then minister of state D S Mishra, was the managing committee president of the educational institute.

The incident had sent shock-waves across the country, with the opposition demanding the removal of Mishra, who was subsequently dropped from the Naveen Patnaik cabinet.

Sahu was subsequently arrested on the charge of killing the woman teacher, chopping her body into pieces and dumping these into the pit. He had also allegedly torched her bag, mobile phone and other belongings to eliminate evidence.

Police probe revealed that the teacher had threatened Sahu of exposing his extra-marital affairs.

Earlier this month, Ranjit Sahu, the principal of the institute, and management committee member Kruti Chandan were arrested on the charges of influencing witnesses in the case.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the custodial death, Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) asked the Special Director General of Prisons and Bolangir Superintendent of Police to submit their respective reports within 15 days.

Justice Binoy Krishna Patel, the chairperson of OHRC, said in an order, ''Since it is a case of custodial death, considering the gravity of the incident, commission takes cognisance of the matter suo motu.'' ''Issue notice to the Special Director General of Prisons and DCS and Bolangir Superintendent of Police to submit their respective reports to the commission within 15 days of the incident positively,'' it added.

DIG Prisons, Bhubaneswar, Subhakanta Mishra, admitted that there were lapses on the part of jail authorities at Kantabanji and said disciplinary action will be taken against everyone found guilty.

A tweet by the Odisha Police said, ''DGP, Odisha has ordered CID-Crime Branch to take over enquiry into Kantabanji Police Station U.D. Case No. 15/2022. This Case relates to unnatural death of Gobind Sahu, prime accused of Sindhikela Police Station Case No. 97/21 inside Kantabanji Sub-Jail today.” Sahu’s advocate Debasish Panda, meanwhile, said that the DNA of the remains of the slain woman teacher does not match with her parents. It is clear that the remains recovered from the pit were not of the woman teacher, he claimed.

The custodial death has sparked a political slugfest in the state, with opposition camps seeking a central agency probe into the matter.

Congress MLA from Kantabanj, Santosh Singh Saluja, and former Union minister Bhakta Charan Das said the case should be handed over to the CBI.

Senior BJP leader and Kalahandi MP Basanta Panda said Sahu's mysterious death raises questions as it happened hours before he was scheduled to be produced before the court.

''There is also a possibility that Sahu might have been killed as part of a larger conspiracy to protect high-profile leaders involved in the case,'' he said.

Odisha BJP Mahila Morcha president Smruti Pattnaik, too, claimed that Sahu was ''murdered as his statement in the court could have exposed some ruling BJD leaders''.

BJD MLA and former minister Amar Prasad Satpathy, when approached, said the matter is sub-judice and law should be allowed to take its own course.