Cuttack: A newly constituted 4-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Crime Branch started investigation into the Patnagarh wedding gift blast incident in which two persons including newly-wed Soumyasekhar Sahu and his grandmother were killed last month.
The team led by Additional SP Anil Kumar Dash interrogated the deceased Soumyasekhar’s wife Reema, who was also injured in the blast, at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack today.
Earlier on Thursday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a Crime Branch probe into the case after Reema appealed him to expedite investigation and take stern action against those involved in the incident. Besides, family members of Soumyasekhar and Reema had also met Patnaik a few days ago seeking justice.
"For a better monitoring and better handling of the case, the honourable Chief Minister yesterday directed us to see that the case is handed over to Crime Branch and the same has been done. The ADG Crime Branch has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for the purpose," said DGP RP Sharma.
On the other hand, deceased Soumyasekhar’s father is still firm on his demand for a CBI probe saying an investigation only by the central agency will reveal the truth.
Residents of Patnagarh also have expressed their concerns over a Crime Branch probe and demanded that the case should be handed over to either CBI or NIA.
"Police and Crime Branch are the same thing. Had the case been handed over to the NIA the investigation would have been fruitful," said a resident of Patnagarh, Bimal Bag.
On February 23, Soumyasekhar and his grandmother were killed while unwrapping a parcel that the newly-wed couple had received as wedding gift. The intensity of the blast suggests that the explosives were built by an expert. The way the parcel reached its destination without revealing the identity of its sender also suggests that the accused did proper planning. Hence, many have raised doubts over effectiveness of a Crime Branch probe.