Senior BJP leader and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday dared the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government to order a CBI probe into the murder of BJP activist Salman Rout at Tarabha village in Dhenkanal district over political rivalry.
“The Tarabha murder is a well-conceived, pre-planned conspiracy. The Crime Branch is incapable of conducting an impartial probe. If the State Government really wants to have an impartial probe then it should hand over the probe to the CBI,” said Pradhan after meeting sthe bereaved family of Rout at Tarabha.
Expressing shock over thrashing of women by male police personnel in the presence of Superintendent of Police (SP) while the body of Rout was being brought to his native village from the hospital, Pradhan compared the incident to that of the situation that would have taken place when imperialist Britishers had killed Baji Rout.
Meanwhile, the State Election Commission directed the State Government for a Crime Branch probe into the incident following demands of some political parties.
Salman was shot dead on Saturday night. Police have arrested Byomkesh Biswal, an OSAP jawan posted in Keonjhar, for his alleged complicity in the case.
Notably, two groups had clashed in the village over putting up of posters for the upcoming panchayat polls in the State. It was alleged that Byomkesh pumped bullets into Rout’s chest at pointblank range.