Odisha teacher's murder: BJP hits out at CM Patnaik for 'safeguarding' accused Minister

Amid massive uproar over sensational kidnap and murder case of a school teacher in Odisha's Kalahandi district, BJP national Vice President Baijayant Panda came down heavily on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for 'safeguarding' minister Dibya Shankar Mishra, who is allegedly linked to case.  Opposition has accused State Home Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra of propping up main accused Gobinda Sahu. Members of saffron party hit streets on Saturday, staging state-wide protests demanding Mishra's removal.

"Read & weep. A woman murdered, girls allegedly exploited, a state in turmoil, but Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik refuses to drop this guy from his goverment," Panda wrote in his Twitter p while reacting to case.

A 24-year-old female teacher of a private school in Mahaling vill of Kalahandi went missing on October 8 and her partially decomposed body was recovered from school playground on October 19. Two people, including school president who is said to be close to Minister Dibya Mishra, were arrested by police. 

school president, who is prime accused in case confessed to his role in crime. He admitted that he mutilated woman's body and burnt it before dumping it in school compound. victim's family members have demanded capital punishment for culprits.

Odisha Minister 'aided' prime accused in murder case

Opposition parties have been demanding resignation of DS Mishra, alleging that prime accused is close to him and that was why he was able to escape on Sunday night from Titlagarh police barrack, where he was detained in connection with "abduction" of teacher. He was arrested later on October 19 from a sugarcane field where he was hiding.

On motive behind crime, DIG of rrn range, Deepak Kumar, on Wednesday said prime accused had a grudge against lady teacher as she was aware of his two extra-marital affairs and had warned that she would expose him.

A number of protests were organized by Opposition parties across state against incident in past few days. BJP also submitted a memorandum to Odisha Human Rights Commission demanding a thorough probe into incident. Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Odisha Assembly and senior BJP leader, Pradipta Kumar Naik, also demanded a compensation of Rs 2 crore for deceased's woman's next to kin and a government job for one of her family members. National Commission for Women had suggested that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik remove Mishra and Law Minister Pratap Jena from council of ministers to enable police to conduct a free and fair investigation.

(With inputs from ncy)