Bhubaneswar: Odisha police have cracked the high-profile assassination of BJP leader and senior advocate Pitabash Panda, who was shot dead near his residence in the Baidyanathpur Police station area, Berhampur, on October 6. A total of 12 people have been arrested in connection with the case.
Among the arrested is former BJD legislator and district president Bikram Kumar Panda, along with his close associates, revealed District Superintendent of Police Saravana Vivek M.
Other Accused
The police also arrested:
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Former Berhampur Mayor Sivashankar Dash alias Pintu
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Advocates Malaya Kumar Bisoyi and Madan Mohan Dalai
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Kalucharana Bhuyan, Bipin Swain, Chintu Pradhan, and others
Six dedicated teams of Berhampur police were formed to investigate the case and apprehend the accused.
Motive Behind the Murder
Investigations revealed that the murder was orchestrated due to a mix of political, financial, and personal reasons.
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Pintu Das, the former mayor, held a personal grudge against Pitabash Panda, who was the advocate in the 2013 murder case of his close friend, Shanti Mishra. Das blamed Panda for delays in the trial and the release of prime accused.
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Das also alleged that Pitabash had instigated murder attempts against him by accused Mouza Mishra, who was out on bail.
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Additionally, Das believed he was denied an MLA ticket due to Pitabash’s influence.
Conspiracy and Execution
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Former friends turned bitter rivals: Bikram Panda and Pitabash Panda had been close since college, but a rift developed in 2018 when Bikram switched parties and Pitabash did not follow him.
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Over time, the rivalry intensified, with both attempting to harm each other socially, financially, and politically.
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Bikram Panda and Pintu Das conspired to eliminate Pitabash, hiring Malaya Bisoyi and Madan Dalei to execute the plan with sharpshooters from Bihar.
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Initial attempts failed due to personal issues of the hired shooters. Subsequently, Kurupatti Bhuyan and Chintu Pradhan from Banthapalli village executed the murder on October 6 near Pitabash’s residence.
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The conspirators had agreed to pay Rs 50 lakh for the murder.
Manhunt Continues
Berhampur SP informed that three accused, including Uma Bisoyi and Kurupatti, are still at large, and a manhunt is ongoing to apprehend them.