Paralakhemundi ACF death mystery: Why wife hosted bachelor party after marriage?

Bhubaneswar/Oupada: The case of mysterious death of Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Saumya Ranjan Mohapatra has taken a new turn after the deceased’s elder brother spoke about a bachelor party at Balangir which was attended by Bidyabharati Panda, the wife of Saumya Ranjan.

Saumya’s elder brother Ranjan Mohapatra informed a few days back Bidyabharati asked Saumya to take her to Balangir so that she could appear in an ANM exam. When Saumya refused to take her to Balangir, she engaged in a quarrel with him and moved out of the official residence at Paralakhemundi. Later Saumya brought her from the DFO’s residence, added the deceased’s elder brother.

Saumya buckled under pressure and took her to Balangir. After reaching the western Odisha town, Bidyabharati asked Saumya to go back to Paralakhemundi.

Upon return, he received a call from his wife asking him to transfer Rs 30,000 in her account for a bachelor party with her friends. While the forest officer expressed his inability to oblige, she sent an ‘objectionable’ photo of her with an unknown male leaving Saumya perplexed.

Saumya’s elder brother further stated, “After seeing the photo, my brother had got the shock of his life.”

Earlier in the day, a police team from Paralakhemundi visited Saumya’s house in Khaira and questioned his family members for over three hours.

Meanwhile, a video in possession of Sambad English shows Gajapati DFO Sangram Keshari Behera, Gurandi Police Station OIC and Bidyabharati’s relative Mamata Panda and senior police officials of Paralakhemundi along with Saumya Ranjan’s wife being present while the Paralakhemundi ACF with critical burn injuries was admitted to the Gajapati District Headquarters Hospital.

When condition of Saumya Ranjan deteriorated, he was shifted to the SCB hospital in Cuttack in a 108 ambulance and later to the Ashwini Hospital where he succumbed on July 13 morning.

Family members of Saumya Ranjan suspected foul play and alleged the Paralakhemundi ACF was murdered. They accused Saumya Ranjan’s wife, the Gajapati DFO and a cook of killing him.

A case under section 302 and 120 (b) has been registered at Paralakhemundi police station.