Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 25:
The revelation by Odisha police on the deployment of armed personnel at the palace over life threat to Paralakhemundi Maharaja Gopinath Gajapati Narayan Deb has seemingly lent credence to the conspiracy theory where four siblings, including the former manager of the royal scion, allegedly committed suicide last week.
A top police officer today told Kanak News that the Parala Maharaja had petitioned the Gajapati Superintendent of Police a few months ago to provide security to him as he apprehended threat to his life.
“We have collected information from Gajapati police that Gajapati king had written a letter requesting the then SP to provide protection citing threat to his life. Based on the letter, the SP had provided round-the-clock armed security at the palace. The security men were on duty since last few months. Arme Police Reserve (APR) personnel were on the location round-the-clock,” Inspector General of Police (Southern Range) Amitabh Thakur said.
Prior to the quadruple deaths, several political leaders and members of local citizens’ forum had alleged that the king was under house arrest and the constituents were prevented from meeting him. The senior mandarin, however, negated the house arrest angle.
“The SP, Collector, and Sub-Collector have already clarified that the king was not under house arrest. The king is undergoing treatment at a Chennai-based private hospital. He can only clear the air on why he apprehended that he had a threat to life,” he added.
Notably, Paralakhemundi police found three bodies and rescued another from the house of the former manager of Maharaja on the day when the local police began to probe into the alleged financial misappropriation of the king’s properties.
While the decomposed bodies of former manager Ananga Manjari Patra and her siblings— Sanjay and Bijaylaxmi—were recovered from their house on last Sunday (August 21), Santosh was rescued in a critical condition, who succumbed at MKCG Medical College and Hospital the following day.