Odisha CB arrest main accused in Singiri sarpanch murder from Kolkata

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 8:

Exactly seven months after the incident, Crime Branch officials of Odisha police today arrested the prime accused in the murder of Singiri gram panchayat sarpanch Chitrasen Das from Kolkata.

According to reports, a team of Crime Branch sleuths arrested Khirod Das from Kolkata for his alleged complicity in the murder.

He will be produced before JMFC in Aul today.

Khirod was a close aide of the deceased. However, he fell out of favour with Chitrasen and joined hands with the the latter’s political adversary.

It may be recalled that Chitrasen – sarpanch of Singiri panchayat under Aul police station in Kendrapara district was on June 8 last year beaten to death by unidentified persons near Chandibazaar Chhak.

Das was allegedly attacked by a group while he was on his way to Aul on a bike at around 6 am. Miscreants thrashed him mercilessly resulting in his death while undergoing treatment.

Chitrasen’s family members had filed an FIR against seven persons.

Police had said that the sarpanch of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) was lynched due to political rivalry.