Bolangir: A five-member team of Paralakhemundi police Sunday began a probe into assistant conservator of forests (ACF) Saumya Ranjan Mohapatra death case in Bolangir. According to a source, the police team will probe into allegations regarding a bachelors’ party hosted by the late ACF’s wife Bidyabharati Panda at the Livestock Inspectors’ Training Centre (LITC) here.
The team will visit an educational institution in the district for the probe. Bidyabharati had been pursuing higher studies in the institute.
The probing team will collect information from LITC office-bearers as well as the institute’s hostel inmates to find out what circumstances led her to visit Bolangir after her wedding. During her visit, it is said that she had hosted a party in the institute.
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Notably, Gajapati SP Tapan Kumar Patnaik had earlier said Friday that the divisional forest officer (DFO) Sangram Keshari Behera who is also an accused in the case has no links with the death of Saumya. Patnaik’ statement came after a marathon interrogation of the DFO by Paralakhemundi police in Gajapati.
On being asked by media persons about the exact cause of death of the ACF, the SP had said, “There is need for more investigation about the cause of death. I will speak on it after the probe is completed.”
PNN