Bhubaneswar: Four days after Rourkela Assistant Collector Sushmita Minz was found dead in a pond near a park in the Steel City, her family members today alleged foul play in the incident and sought a CBI probe into it.

Sushmita’s family alleged that the police in cahoots with the doctors have prepared a fake postmortem report to hide the real cause of her death.

The postmortem has suggested that Sushmita (35) had died due to drowning, sources said.

Sushmita’s brother Sandeep, meanwhile, alleged that she has been murdered by some influential people.

He alleged that Sundargarh Collector, Rourkela ADM, Gurundia Block Development Officer, Gurundia Child Development Project Officer (CDPO) and a woman Sub-Inspector of Odisha Police were behind Sushmita’s death.

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“I have lodged an FIR in this regard with police. But, they are yet to register a murder case on the basis of my FIR. A probe by the CBI can unearth the truth behind the incident. We will approach the judiciary seeking justice in the case,” Sandeep said.

Sushmita, a native of Rambahal area of Rajgangpur in Sundargarh district, was appointed as the Assistant Collector of Rourkela around 18 months ago. She was looking after issues related to land acquisition, sources said.

Sushmita, an ORS officer, was staying in her Rajgangpur home and she used to travel to her workplace at the ADM office in Rourkela.

Sushmita, however, did not return home on September 16 on the plea that she had an emergency meeting at the ADM office.

Her brother had lodged a missing complaint with Uditnagar police in Rourkela on September 17 after he failed to trace her at the ADM office, sources said.

On the same day, police traced Sushmita to a hotel near Rourkela railway station.

On being informed by the police, Sandeep and his mother reached the hotel to enquire about Sushmita’s wellbeing. Sushmita, however, refused to return home, sources said.

Later, Gurundia BDO and CDPO informed Sushmita’s family that she was suffering from severe mental depression.

Sushmita’s body was found floating in a pond near a sensory park in Rourkela at around 3 pm on September 19.

The Plantsite police in the Steel City recovered the body and sent it for postmortem after registering an unnatural death case in this regard.