Congress demands SIT probe into Odisha teacher murder
The Hindu
It also seeks immediate sacking of MoS Home
The Congress on Thursday demanded the immediate sacking of Odisha Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra and the constitution of a special investigation team (SIT) under the supervision of the Chief of Justice of Orissa High Court for an impartial probe into the murder of a woman teacher.
Congress’s chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, who led a high-level party delegation, comprising Congress legislative party leader Narasingha Mishra, party in charge of Odisha affairs A Chella Kumar and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik, to the victim’s village in Balangir district, came down heavily on the Biju Janata Dal Government.
Mamita Meher, teacher at Sunshine English Medium School, Mahaling in Kalahandi district, was reportedly strangulated to death by Gobina Sahu, promoter of the school. Police said the murder accused killed Meher in order to prevent her from revealing his extramarital affairs. Opposition political parties have alleged that MoS Home Mr. Mishra, who had close links with Sahu, was protecting him.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.