Odisha cops identify BJD councillor’s murderers

Cuttack/Berhampur: A day after the gruesome murder of BJD youth leader and councillor from Ward no.6 of Chhatrapur Notified Area Council (NAC) in Odisha’s Ganjam district Laxmidutta Pradhan alias Bachana, police today claimed that the assailants have been identified and efforts are on to nab them soon.

“The assailants have been identified. Immediately, after committing the crime they had fled from the spot. All efforts are being made to arrest them. Ganjam SP is personally monitoring all efforts to trace them out,” informed DGP Dr. R P Sharma speaking to reporters.

He said police have formed three teams to nab them while adding that these teams are conducting raids at different places.

“This incident, prima facie appears to be the fallout of previous enmity. Two motorcycles which were abandoned by the assailants at the spot of the crime have been recovered by the police. Swords used by the assailants in the crime have been seized. I am hopeful assailants will be nabbed very soon and Ganjam police is taking speedy action,” the DGP said.

Ganjam S P Ashish Singh also told reporters that the accused have been identified and efforts are on to nab them.

“The accused have been identified. Basing on that police teams have been constituted and we are hopeful that very soon action will be taken. Police have yesterday conducted raids at different places considered to be the hideouts and or houses of relatives of the suspects. A few people suspected to be directly or indirectly connected with the incident have been detained are being interrogated,” informed Ganjam SP.

Notably, the BJD councillor was hacked to death by a group of armed miscreants on Saturday afternoon while he was sitting in front of his house in Suryanagar with some students.