More than one person involved in murder, says Bachan Sudha’s son

Reported by Santosh Jagdev/Edited by Sandeep Sahu

Bhubaneswar, Sept 13:

More than 48 hours after the gruesome murder of a city-based businessman’s wife Bachan Sudha Pattanayak (53) in broad daylight, family members of the deceased have said more than one person were involved in the crime.

Talking to the media persons here at his residence, the son of deceased Rochan Pattnaik said the seizure of three blood stained shirts, along with Bachan Sudha’s vanity bag, a mobile phone and a knife, from a drain behind the residence suggests that the prime accused Diptiranjan Patnaik was not the only person involved. “Given the multiple stabbings inflicted on my mother, it appears that there were other people involved,” he said.

Rochan, however, agreed that the arrest of Diptiranjan was the key to nabbing the others involved.  “We have full faith in the police investigation and hope that the culprits are caught soon,” he said.

While the police are still clueless about the possible motive behind the murder, Rochan confirmed to the media that a diamond locket along with her mother’s watch was missing.

He also blamed the police team for reaching the spot late. “My mother could perhaps have been saved had the police reached the spot in time. Our neighbor had called the police control room at around 12.39 pm after hearing my mother’s scream, but police reached the spot at around 1.25 pm, a full 45 minutes after the call though the place is just 100 metres away from the Rasulgarh police outpost,” Rochan said. “The police failed to provide protection to my mother and in nabbing the culprit,” he added. His father, Manu Charan Pattanayak reached the residence at around 1.34 pm, he revealed.

On the other hand, police claim to have reached the spot in seven minutes.

It has now emerged that Diptiranjan, the security guard who joined the Rajendra Security Services one and half months ago, has criminal antecedents. He was involved in a robbery case at Akrush Gokul Plaza under Laxmisagar Police limits. He had come to the Pattanayaks’ residence for duty thrice, but his antecedents were not known to his family, Rochan added.

Rochan demanded death penalty for the culprits so that it will be a lesson for others.

Meanwhile, employees of Madhukan Agro Automobiles Pvt Ltd on Friday informed that they will stage a protest in all districts on Monday where their firms were located. “If the police fail to arrest the culprit, we will take to the streets,” Sekh Dildar, manager of Madhukan Agro Automobiles said.