Bhubaneswar, Oct 22 () – The recent arrest of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) senior leader Bikram Kumar Panda and his close aides has ignited a public showdown between the BJD and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the murder of BJP leader Pitabasa Panda.
BJD leaders slammed the police action as a “politicised” move. At a press conference in Bhubaneswar, senior BJD members said that the ex‑MLA of Ganjam district, now the BJD’s district president, was framed to protect the state government and a state Mines minister. They pointed to Gopalpur MLA and State Mines Minister Bibhuti Bhushan Jena as possible actors in the murder plot, arguing that evidence was missing from the police file.
“We’ve had 152 rape cases and 128 murders in Ganjam in the last 16 months of BJP rule,” warned senior BJD leader Pramila Mallik. Mallik added that illegal sand mining has surged in Ganjam, sparking violent clashes. She linked the sand‑mining boom to the murder, noting that Jena’s name has been raised in past sand‑trade scandals.
State Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari called the BJD’s allegations “very unfortunate.” He said the Berhampur Superintendent of Police had already outlined the conspiracy and identified the people who tried to hide the culprits. “If the BJD keeps denying its leaders’ involvement, it’s denying the truth and encouraging criminality,” Pujari warned.
Police confirmed that Wednesday’s arrests included 12 people, among them BJD’s Bikram Panda and his aides. They were taken into custody in connection with the shooting of BJP leader Pitabasa Panda on Oct 6 near his Berhampur home.
The case is still unfolding, but the clash of accusations is already shaping the political narrative in Odisha.
Source: ianslive
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