Court displeased by slow probe into murder case involving Odisha Law Minister
The Hindu
Police directed to take immediate steps for collection of call detail records
A local court in Cuttack district expressed strong displeasure over the sluggish pace of investigation into a murder case involving Odisha Law Minister Pratap Kumar Jena, alleged to be an accused.
The case pertained to the murder of Kulamani Baral, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former chairperson of Mahanga block of Cuttack, and his associate Dibyasingh Baral, who were brutally hacked to death at their village, Nrutanga, in January this year.
Ramakant Baral, son of the deceased Kulamani Baral, had filed a case at the Mahanga Police Station against 13 persons, including the Minister, alleging their involvement in the murder. After investigation, the police had filed a charge-sheet against 14 accused persons, but dropped the name of the Minister.
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.