BJP Leader Murder: 4 Including Prime Accused Detained

Cuttack: In a major breakthrough, police on Tuesday claimed to have detained four persons including the prime accused in connection with the brutal murder of Mahanga BJP leader Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral.

Sources said a team of Cuttack police (rural) are interrogating the detainees in an undisclosed location. Another special team continues to raid at several places to nab others involved in the ghastly crime.

Details of the investigation will be briefed to media later at a press conference, said a senior official.

Cuttack Superintendent of Police (SP) V Jugal Kishore had earlier informed that five teams comprising senior officials have been formed to investigate the case. The scientific team was also engaged in the investigation to crack the case.

On Saturday evening, Kulamani was returning home along with his associate Dibyasingh on a bike when some miscreants attacked them with sharp weapons leaving them critically injured. Kulamani was declared dead Mahanga Community Health Centre (CMC) while Dibyasingh succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack next day.

Deceased Kulamani’s son Ramakant Baral lodged a complaint with police naming 12 persons accusing them of killing his father and relative over political rivalry. He also mentioned in the complaint that the incident is a fallout of the exposure of massive corruption in the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the region.

The BJP workers on Monday staged demonstration in every block of Cuttack district protesting the brutal murder of party leaders.

Notably, 75-year-old Kulamani Baral was BJP's Mandal in-charge of Salipur and former block chairman of Mahanga in Cuttack district.