Odisha BJP calls for Sundargarh bandh seeking CBI probe into two govt officials’ ‘murder’

Bhubaneswar: The BJP has called for Sundargarh bandh on October 5 (Thursday) seeking CBI probe into the mysterious deaths of Rourkela Assistant Collector Sushmita Minz and Udit Nagar police Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Alisa Narmi Lugun in the Steel City of Odisha.

Former Union Minister and Sundargarh BJP MP Jual Oram said two tribal women have died under mysterious circumstances. The two incidents have exposed the anti-tribal attitude of the Odisha government, he added.

“Rourkela Assistant Collector Sushmita Minz was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a pond. How could she drown in a six-foot deep pond? The administration is saying that Minz was suffering from mental depression. If so, then why the administration did not take appropriate steps in this regard. What prompted Minz to stay in a hotel instead of her official quarters? There are several unsolved questions regarding the incident,” said Oram.

The senior BJP leader also targeted the state government over the death of woman police ASI AS Lugun.

Lugun was the personal security officer of the deceased Rourkela Assistant Collector. Lugun was attacked and killed while she was trying to restore law and order during a group clash, Oram claimed.

“Why did not the state government provide adequate security to Lugun? We suspect that both the tribal women have been killed by some people. We have already met Rourkela SP and sought a CBI probe into the two incidents. We have also called for Sundargarh bandh on October 5 to press for our demand,” said the former Union Minister.

Notably, MINZ was found dead in a pond inside a sensory park in Rourkela on September 19.

The postmortem suggested that Minz had died due to drowning. Sushmita’s brother Sandeep, however, alleged that she has been murdered by some influential people.

The Rourkela SP has formed a team under a DSP-rank officer to probe the incident.

On the other hand, Lugun collapsed while she was pacifying both the sides during a group clash in the Steel City on October 1. She was immediately rushed to a private hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

The police have registered a murder case in this regard as per a complaint filed by Lugun’s husband. Her husband alleged that the ASI was attacked by some miscreants during the group clash, which led to hear death.