With each passing day, the mystery behind the death of Assistant Conservator of Forest Officer (ACFO), of Paralakhemundi District Headquarters, Soumyaranjan Mohapatra, seems to be deepening further. On Friday (July 17), Parthasarathi Nayak, the lawyer of Soumyaranjan’s father, stated that the scientific team has reportedly found no evidence to back the theory of a fire mishap occurring at the ACFO’s official residence.
While police is still carrying out an investigation, prima facie it seems that the ACFO has been murdered, said the lawyer. In another development today, a six-member police team headed by Paralakhemundi police station IIC visited Balasore and Mayurbhanj for further investigation in the case.
On July 15, deceased Soumyaranjan’s father had filed an FIR against his daughter-in-law Bidya Bharti, DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) Sangram Keshari Behera and ACFO’s cook Manmaya Kumbhat accusing all three of murdering his son.
Based on the allegations, a murder case was also registered against the three. Soumyaranjan’s father and other relatives suspect that ACFO’s wife Bidyabharti had an extra marital affair with the DFO and she used to repeatedly harass and torture her husband. However, refuting the allegations, Bidyabharti has claimed that she shared good relationship with her husband.
The accused DFO has also rubbished the allegations against him of having an illicit relationship with Bidyabharti and clarified that he had tried to help the ACFO get admitted to the hospital after receiving information. Even Manmaya Kumbhat, the cook working at the ACFO’s house, also said that that he had rushed in to help the ACFO as soon as he heard his anguished calls during the incident.
It is pertinent to mention that 32-year-old Soumyaranjan who had gotten married in December 2020, had suffered 90 per cent burns at Parlakhemundi and succumbed during treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack on July 13. Mystery still shrouds the ACFO's death and now police have expedited investigation to ascertain whether the incident is a case of suicide, fire mishap or a well-planned murder.