Well-known RTI activist Ranjan Kumar Das (35) was found dead under mysterious circumstances on a roadside near Beruan village under Marshaghai block in Kendrapada district on Saturday.
Locals found the body lying under his motorcycle in the morning and informed police about it. The Marshaghai police reached the spot, recovered the body and launched a probe into the incident.
Kendrapada SP Niti Sekhar and SDPO Rajib Lochan Panda rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
It was suspected that the RTI activist was murdered for allegedly exposing massive irregularities in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awaas Yojana (PMGAY) at Manikpur in the locality.
Das used to file petitions before the Vigilance department and Lokayukta urging them to conduct inquiry into matters of corruption in the district.