Cuttack: A day after the murder of Mahanga block chairperson and BJP’s Salepur in-charge Kulamani Baral, his son Ramakant Baral Sunday lodged an FIR against 12 persons whom Ramakant suspects to be involved in his father’s murder.
According to police sources, the FIR was filed against four persons of Jankoti village and eight residents of Nrutang village at the Mahanga Police Station. Cops have detained a person for questioning.
Notably, the miscreants also killed Kulamani’s associate Dibya Singh Baral.
Kulamani Baral — a local leader of BJP — was returning home Saturday evening with Dibyasingh on a motorcycle. Some unidentified miscreants attacked the duo with sharp weapons near Jankoti area in Cuttack district. Both sustained critical injuries in the attack.
According to an eyewitness, a group of six armed youths repeatedly hacked the duo leaving them critically injured.
Locals rescued the injured in a critical condition. Later, they were rushed to the community health centre (CHC) at Mahanga in an ambulance. However, doctors declared Kulamani ‘brought dead’.
Dibyasingh was shifted to the SCBMCH as his health condition deteriorated. He succumbed to his injuries Sunday morning while undergoing treatment at Cuttack SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH).
Cuttack rural police registered a case in this connection and launched a probe. A manhunt is on to nab the assailants. The motive behind the attack has not been ascertained yet. Past enmity could be a probable cause, a police official stated.
On the other hand, BJP’s Cuttack district president Prakash Behera alleged that the local leaders of ruling BJD are behind the attack.
PNN