BRAHMAPUR: The rising cases of attack over political rivalry in Ganjam district’s most sensitive Digapahandi Assembly constituency have posed a challenge for the police. In many cases, the families of the victims have not got justice.
Following the alleged police inaction in such sensitive incidents, hundreds of BJP workers led by senior BJP leader Uttam Panigrahi resorted to a two- hour dharna in front of the office of the Superintendent of Police, Brahmapur on Thursday.
The agitators demanded an impartial and expeditious probe into a sensational double murder incident in Nabarangapur village under Digapahandi police circle on May 29.
ASP Asim Kumar Panda came to the dharna spot and reportedly persuaded the BJP workers to end the stir. He is said to have assured them to look into their demands as per law, sources said.
Swapna Gouda, wife of deceased Babu Gouda accompanied by hundreds of BJP workers submitted a memorandum to the SP demanding stern action against the culprits and conspirators responsible for killing her husband and his associate Pradip Sahu.
The memorandum alleged that one Bijay Gouda alias Tofan had attacked Babu Gouda with a sharp knife and stabbed him near a crowded area of Panda Chhak in Nabarangpur village at 8 pm on May 29. The accused also stabbed Babu’s aide Pradip Sahu. While Babu died on way to the MKCG MCH, Pradip in critical condition was shifted to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar where he died on June 2.
Deceased Babu’s wife Swapna alleged that since the Panchayat elections, three persons of her village and one from Chanchadapalli village of Ankorda GP under Digapahandi police circle, namely, Mayur Gouda, Ramakrushna Sahu, Subhrajeet Sahu and Ramanath Bisoyi collectively had targeted her husband to settle scores and were continuously threatening to eliminate him.
Even though the prime accused Bijay is currently in Digapahandi Sub Divisional Jail, the remaining four accused are still roaming free and threatening the witnesses to refrain from deposing witness, Swapna alleged further.
“This is the 4th incidents of murder in last two and a half months. The investigation made by the police in the double murder case is not properly done for which the local people have lost their faith on police. For every murder, there are two groups, created by the local MLA and his son, who are behind such crimes,” alleged BJP leader Panigrahi.
The villagers demanded the police to identify the master mind behind the crime and bring him to book. Though 12 days have been passed there is no tangible progress in the investigation, Panigrahi slammed.
It may be recalled here that, on April 24, in another similar incident two more party workers namely, Saroj Patra and Sudarsan Suaro of Palajhadi village, were attacked brutally by the persons from rivalry party with sharp weapons.
Later, the bodies of both Sudhir and Sudarsan were recovered from roadside of their village. The Digapahandi police reportedly had acted swiftly and started an investigation into the incident to trace the assailants and succeeded in arresting nine persons including the prime accused Prasant Gouda.
Prasant had confessed that he had given supari of Rs 50,000 each to Budu Das, Deb Reddy and Kuna Gouda for eliminating his political rivals. Prasant’s wife had lost the Sarpanch election for Chasa Nimakhandi panchayat only by four votes, which had triggered the vendetta. He had reportedly spent around Rs 40 lakh for the campaign.