BJP Leader's Murder In Cuttack: Injured Associate Dies, Stern Action Demanded

Bhubaneswar: Dibya Singh Barala, the associate of the slain BJP leader Kulamani Barala on Sunday succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Dibya had sustained critical injuries when some miscreants allegedly attacked him and Kulamani near Jankoti in Cuttack district on Saturday evening.

Kulamani, who was BJP’s Mandal Prabhari of Salipur and former block chairman of Mahanga, were returning to home on bike along with Dibya when unidentified assailants reportedly attacked them with sharp weapons.

They were immediately shifted to Mahanga Community Health Centre (CHC) where doctors declared Kulamani dead while Dibya was shifted to SCB Cuttack in a critical condition.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan condemned the alleged murder of the BJP leader and urged the administration to take exemplary action against the culprits.

Expressing deep anguish over the incident, BJP National Vice President Baijayant Panda said that stringent action should be taken against those involved in the incident after probe.

BJP's State vice president Bhrugu Baxipatra also expressed shock over the alleged murder of the former Mahanga block chairman.

Condemning the murder, Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said, "Kulamani was a strong leader. His death shows that political killings have now begun in the State. I request govt to take stringent action against the accused."

Meanwhile, BJP's Cuttack district president Prakash Behera has alleged that the local leaders of the ruling-BJD are behind the attack.

Son of the deceased BJP leader also alleged that the Odisha Law Minister is behind the incident. "My father was killed as he raised voice against the corruption by the State government in the past," he said.

On the alleged murder, Odisha Law Minister Pratap Jena said, "I will personally look into the case so that culprits get punishment."