Gajapati: In an effort to unravel the mystery surrounding the death of Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra, the police interrogated Thursday the driver of the 108 ambulance in which the critically burnt forest official was being taken to the hospital July 12. Soumya Ranjan breathed his last July 13. Ten days have passed since the tragedy occurred, but mystery still surrounds the death of the ACF.
The police with the help of Crime Branch personnel are investigating all aspects that led to the death of the ACF. They are looking into all angles and hence the ambulance driver was grilled. It has been alleged that the ambulance was unnecessarily detained by a policewoman known to Soumya Ranjan’s wife Bidyabharati. It is for this reason the role of Gurandi police station OIC Mamata Panda has come under scanner.
Since the death of the forest official various questions have cropped up, the answers to which the police are still trying to find out. Among them are where was the ambulance detained and why. The other question doing the rounds is why the critically burnt Soumya Ranjan was being shifted to Cuttack. An easier option would have been to rush him to Vishakhapatnam which is closer to Paralakhemundi. Many believe it was done deliberately to kill time so that the patient’s condition would deteriorate.
PNN