Shooter among two arrested for murder of Odisha BJP leader

Berhampur (Odisha), Nov 4 (PTI) The Police on Tuesday arrested two more persons, stated to be the key accused in the murder of the senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda last month.

The arrested two, Kurupati Bhuyan (35) and Uma Shankar Bisoi (33), were remanded to two days of police custody by a local court.

A total of 17 people were now apprehended in connection with the murder.

Bisoi was linked to the conspirators, while Bhuyan, a sharp shooter, had fired at Panda in close range on October 6 night in his residence, said the police.

Both the accused persons were interrogated before they were produced in the sub divisional judicial magistrate's court here.

Earlier, police said Chintu Pradhan rode the motorcycle and Bhuyan was sitting in pillion and went near the house of Panda on October 6 night.

When Panda reached there, Bhuyan allegedly fired at him. They then fled and reached near Sitalapalli village where both changed their clothes and threw the clothes they were wearing during in crime and hid their guns. During the investigation, police recovered all these items, a police officer said.

Chintu was arrested on October 22 along with some other accused persons, he said.

Among the arrested people are former Berhampur MLA Bikram Kumar Panda and ex-mayor of the city Shiva Shankar Das, besides BJD corporator Malay Bisoi. PTI COR BBM NN