Ramakanta Biswas

At a time when Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has come under scathing attack from the Opposition parties for maintaining a stoic silence over the sensational lady teacher Mamita Meher murder case, two top cops of the State also chose to avoid questions on the issue on Thursday.

The Director General of Police (DGP) and ADG (law and order) sought to dodge media queries on the issue that has created ripples across the country. 

On Thursday, the two senior policemen attended the Odisha Assembly Standing Committee meeting. Following the meeting, the waiting members of the press tried to get reactions on the Mamita murder case from the two top cops. 

However, DGP Abhay made sought to keep mum by stating that it would be improper for him to comment as he was attending an Assembly meeting. Similarly, ADG (law and order) also did not answer any question posed by the media representatives.

Yesterday, the Congress party had lashed out at the CM for keeping mum on the issue. “While there is fear and panic among women in the society, the Chief Minister of the State is silent. He is neither dismissing his cabinet colleague Dibya Shankar Mishra. Enough is enough,” Congress spokesperson Padmakar Guru had said during a presser.

The Odisha Congress party also questioned why the Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra, whose name has surfaced in the case due to his close proximity to the accused, Gobinda Sahu, is mum over the sensitive issue despite attending government meetings. The party added that the Minister’s silence will not be tolerated.

Reacting to the Congress attack, the ruling BJD said that the State government has never compromised on any issue and the law will take its own course.

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