Odisha BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra sent to jail over BJD worker’s murder

Sambalpur: Odisha BJP leader and former minister Jayanarayan Mishra was today arrested by the Bargarh police in connection with a firing incident at Sohela in which a BJD worker had died.

A police team led by Padampur SDPO Laxmi Narayan Panda raided Mishra’s house here this morning and took him under custody for questioning. He was later arrested, produced before Sohela JMFC court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days after rejection of his bail plea.

“An FIR was lodged against Mishra in the firing incident. We have registered a case against him under Sections 302, 147, 148, 302 and Arms act,” said the SDPO.

An associate of the saffron party leader, identified as Shiba Kumar Diwan, has also been arrested in the case.

On the other hand, Mishra has termed the arrest as a ‘political conspiracy’. However, BJD’s Bhatli MLA and Labour Minister Susanta Singh said Mishra’s arrest is not politically motivated, rather he is the prime accused and had provoked for the attack.

BJP’s state unit president Basant Panda said Mishra is not involved in the incident. The way police took him into custody from his house is not healthy for democracy, Panda added.

Notably, around 20 persons had on February 22 night intercepted a car in which Odisha Labour Minister Susanta Singh’s brother and three others were travelling near Banabira village under Sohela block of Bargarh district.

The miscreants had then attacked and fired at them before fleeing the spot. Dileswar Sahu, driver of the car and a BJD worker, had sustained injuries in the attack and died while undergoing treatment at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Police had earlier arrested six persons in connection with the firing and attack.