Odisha BJP says DGP assured party to complete probe into Mahanga murders in 10 days

The BJP on Fridaysaid that Odisha DGP Abhaya assured it that the police willcomplete investigations into the recent murder of two elderlyparty leaders at Mahanga in Cuttack district within 10 days.

During the day, the BJP organised a dharna demandingthe arrest of Law Minister Pratap Jena, an accused in thecase, while the Congress sought the resignation Chief MinisterNaveen Patnaik, who is also the home minister of the state.

As BJP activists led by state party president SamirMohanty staged the dharna before the Director General ofPolice's (DGP) office in Cuttack, a delegation of the Congressheaded by OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik visited the families ofthe two victims.

Kulamani Baral (74) and his associate DibyasinghaBaral (82) were hacked to death by a group of assailants whilethey were returning to their village Nrutanga on January 2.

Kulamani Baral was instrumental in exposing corruptionin government housing schemes in Mahanga Assembly segment.

''The DGP has assured us that a DIG-rank police officerwill investigate the case and interrogate all 13 persons namedaccused in the FIR, including Law Minister Pratap Jena,'' saidMohanty after a marathon four-hour-long meeting with Abhaya.

He alleged that the police appeared to be undertremendous pressure from certain quarters in independentlyhandling the case.

''Each move of the top officers at the discussion tabletoday was guided by text messages,'' Mohanty claimed.

The DGP was not available for comment.

Thousands of BJP workers and leaders lay siege to theroads leading to the state police headquarters here demandingimmediate arrest of the law minister and other BJD workers,who were named in the FIR.

The police have so far arrested seven people andrecovered a sword, suspected to have been used in the crime.

After meeting the families of the two slain leaders,OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said, ''We demand theresignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on moral groundas the political violence at Mahanga has its origin to rampantcorruption in the area. In 2018, another political leader wasalso killed in the Mahanga area.'' PTI COR AAMNN NN