Rajendra Prasad Mohapatra

Cuttack: Odisha Law Minister Pratap Jena on Monday accused Opposition BJP of politicising the murder of party leader Kulamani Baral and his associate Dibyasingh Baral in Mahanga area of Cuttack district.

Soon after the murder of Baral on Saturday evening, his son Ramakant Baral, had lodged a complaint at the police station against 13 people, including Jena for their alleged involvement in the double murder.

However Jena accused BJP of giving the issue a political colour.

“Whenever an unfortunate incident is happening in Odisha, the opposition parties are trying to blame the ruling party. Rather the aim should be to trace the culprits and convict them in the court of law,” said Jena.

“BJP is trying to give the issue a political colour. The probe will find out about the FIR against me. It will be my personal effort to ensure that the culprit is arrested and punished. I seriously doubt about the intention of the opposition,” he said.

On Saturday evening, Baral, in-charge of Salepur mandal of BJP and former chairman of Mahanga Panchayat Samiti was hacked to death along with his 80-year-old associate Dibyasingh near Jankoti village while returning home on a motorcycle.

The incident triggered a political blame game with the Opposition BJP and Congress accusing the ruling BJD of unleashing such political violence in the State.

The BJP took the matter very seriously while accusing the ruling party of unleashing bloody violence on the political rivals. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP National vice president Baijayant Panda condemned the horrifying crime and demanded stringent action against the perpetrators.

(Edited by Ramakant Biswas)

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