Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Soro, Feb 12:

Odisha’s popular television actor Ranjit Patnaik alias Raja’s death was neither murder nor suicide but an accident, said Raja’s co-actor Pralipta Priyadarshini Samal aka Jessy here today after her questioning by the police at the Soro police station.

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“Raja had gone to pass urine, I feel he might have slipped and fallen. He can never commit suicide. He was not irritated at the time he alighted from the car because he had asked to stop the car much later after our discussion. He told he wanted to pass urine and alighted from the car. I feel it’s an accident,” said Jessy speaking to reporters.

Dismissing the triangular love story angle doing rounds in the media Jessy said: “This is completely false. I have no relationship with Tushar. He is a normal friend of mine like any other co-artist. He is the hero in the serial. I do close scenes, comedy etc. as is required of a co-actor. After camera is switched off we are normal friends and nothing else.”

“Raja was a very good friend of mine. He can be called as a big supporter of mine. Though its being talked about we were having a love affair is not proper because it’s not love affair per se since we had never discussed that we shall be marrying etc. But yes he loved me very much. I also love him very much. I don’t expect anything; the case should be properly investigated,” said Jessy throwing light on her relationship with the deceased actor.

Explaining her delay in appearing before the Soro police Jessy said: “I was scared and not keeping well after the incident, that’s the reason for the delay.”

“Though 70-80% of facts stated by the three are matching some facts with regard to argument between Raja and Jessy is mismatching. We will go for follow up action. We will be sending the three for polygraph test,” said Prafulla Chandra Badajena, SDPO Balasore (Sadar).

Notably, hours after police served notice on Jessy to appear before it for questioning on actor Raja’s mysterious death, the actor this evening turned up at the Soro police station.

Jessy was accompanied by her mother to the police station.

Prior to appearing before the police, the actor called up the cops and urged them not to detain her at the police station for long, sources said.

Earlier in the day, police had served notice on the actor to depose before the Soro police by this evening failing which action would be initiated as per law.

Event manager Pralay Jena and driver Dhaneswar Behera were interrogated for the second consecutive day as they had accompanied Raja to an event in Balasore district on Saturday.

Balasore SP Niti Sekhar also today visited the place where Raja reportedly fell off a bridge leading to his death.

Yesterday, Soro police took Pralay and Dhaneswar to the place near Chaparpada bridge over river Kansa Bansa in Balasore district where the actor reportedly fell off the bridge while he had gone to attend nature’s call. The police asked them to narrate/reconstruct the sequence of events which led to the actor’s death.

Raja was returning after performing in a stage show by Kalinga Kanya Gananatya at Taranka Tipisigadia under Makhanpur panchayat under Khaira block in Balasore district when the incident took place.

Initially, he was rushed to Bhadrak district headquarters hospital and later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.