Odisha police clueless four days after Ranjit’s death

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Soro, Feb 11:

Even after four days since the death of popular Odisha television actor 38-year-old Ranjit Patnaik alias Raja, the police is yet to get any credible leads on whether his death was due to an accident or he was murdered.

Soro police today took Dhaneswar- the driver of the vehicle in which Raja was returning and Pralay Jena- event coordinator, who was a co-passenger of deceased actor Raja on the fateful day to the spot where he had allegedly met with the accident later leading to his death.

Dhaneswar and Pralay were asked by Soro police to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to Raja’s alleged accident and later leading to his death.

“We have summoned Dhaneswar Behera, the driver of the vehicle and Pralay Jena, the coordinator for questioning on what exactly happened at the spot leading to the incident,” said Prafulla Chandra Badajena, SDPO Balasore (Sadar).

Though Soro police had summoned female television actor Pralipta Priyadashini Samal (Jessy), driver Dhaneswar and event coordinator Pralay Jena to Soro police station on Wednesday they had failed however, failed to appear for some reason.

However, both Dhaneswar and Pralay appeared before the police today. On the other hand, with police being unable to ascertain the whereabouts of Jessy the mystery has further deepened.

Amiya Patnaik, paternal uncle of deceased Raja has lodged a complaint with the Soro police that his nephew’s death was not caused due to an accident as told by his associates rather he was murdered.

Notably, Ranjit was declared dead at SCB Medical College and Hospital on Sunday who reportedly fell off the road near Chaparpada bridge over river Kansa Bansa in Balasore district while he had gone to pass urine. The actor was returning after acting in a stage show by Kalingakanya Gananatya at Taranka Tipisigadia under Makhanpur panchayat under Khaira block in Balasore district.