Odisha Crime Branch to probe DWO suicide case

Reported by Ranjan Rath
Rayagada, Feb 18:

The Odisha government has ordered a Crime Branch probe into the death of Rayagada District Welfare Officer (DWO) Dhaneswar Prusty, who committed suicide inside his office room on Tuesday, Rayagada SP K Shiva Subramani revealed here today

Pic: Ranjan Rath
Pic: Ranjan Rath

“We have received a communication from the government about the Crime Branch investigation into the case,” he  said.

The SP said a suicide note had been recovered by the scientific team which inspected Prusty’s house today.

“In his suicide note, the late DWO has named the PA, ITDA and the collector for his death. We have sent it to the foresnsic laboratory to verfiy its genuineness,” Subramani said.

Meanwhile, a large number Congress workers led by the president of the Rayagada District Congress Committee today gheraoed the Rayagada Police Station demanding immediate arrest of district collector Dr Sashi Bhusan Padhi and Project Administrator (PA), Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) Gorachand Gamang.

“We will not relent this corrupt collector is arrested. We will organise a bandh in Rayagada on Friday if he is not arrested by then,” district Congress president Durga Prasad Panda said.

It may be mentioned that the wife of the deceased DWO, Kamini Sahu, in her complaint lodged with the Rayagada Town Police Station on Monday, had alleged that her husband was in severe mental stress as he was being harassed by the collector and the PA, ITDA at the review meetings.

She had also said as her husband was in a state of depression, she had approached the district collector Sashi Bhusan Padhy several times and asked him why such harassment was being meted out to a senior official. But there was no response from the collector, she said.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 3 pm as Congress members created a ruckus in the House demanding the immediate arrest of the Rayagada collector and PA, ITDA, who have been named in the FIR lodged by Prusty’s wife.

They also demanded a statement on the issue from the Chief Minister.

As Congress members, led by chief whip Taraprasad Bahinipati, rushed to the well of the House and shouted, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the proceedings till 12.15 pm. He had to adjourn the House again till 3 pm after there the pandemonium continued on resumption.

 

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