Police claim lead in Khurda BJP leader’s murder case

Surjit Kumar Dhal,Khurda, April 17:  The police on Wednesday claimed they have elicited vital information on the Khordha BJP leader’s murder case from the two people they detained for interrogation.

The claim was made two days after the murder of BJP’s Khurda zone no-9 unit president Manguli Jena by an unidentified assailant.

IG Central Range Soumendra Priyadarshi said that on the directive of DGP in-charge Bijay Kumar Sharma, the Crime Branch took over the investigations on Tuesday.

Priyadarshi said the police have come to know that there has been a long-drawn rivalry between two groups of Badapokharia village in Khurda district since 2015.

“Since Manguli Jena was the former sarpanch of Badapokharia, investigations are underway to ascertain whether the deceased had past enmity with his rival group,” he said.

The Central Range IG further said that as per the case records with the Town Police Station, the deceased has more than 12 cases pending in different police stations in Khurda district.

“We have examined CCTV footage to identify the accused. Besides, the call details records (CDR) of some suspects have been examined and all call transmissions in the area where the incident took place been tracked.

Priyadarshi also said that two suspects who were apprehended a day after the murder of the BJP leader, will be arrested very soon as the police have got vital clues. We will nab the prime accused very soon,” he said.

The IG said that a cyber team of the Crime Branch is providing technical assistance. Besides, another team of the Crime Branch has been camping at Khurda from Tuesday.

“This apart, Crime Branch IG Arun Bothra, who arrived in Khurda on Tuesday, is now supervising the investigation,” he said.