The Cuttack Rural police have arrested another accused, Kailash Khatua, in connection with the murder of BJP leader Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral.
With this, the number of arrests in the case mounted to five. The police had earlier apprehended Panchanan Sethi, Kailash’s son Arabinda Khatua, Khitish Acharya, and Lalit Mohan Baral.
The accused have been booked under Sections 147, 148, 120-B, 302, 149 of the IPC, and Sections 27 and 27 of Arms Act. A blood-stained sword and bamboo lathis used as weapon of offence have been seized.
Kulamani’s son Ramakant Baral has filed an FIR with the Mahanga police accusing local MLA and Minister Pratap Jena and 13 others in the killing.