30 persons queried in Pitabas murder case

Berhampur: Arrests are yet to be made in connection with the murder of BJP leader Pitabas Panda, who was an advocate, in Ganjam district, even as 30 persons have been interrogated and six police teams are working to identify those behind the incident, an official said on Wednesday.

Panda was shot dead from a close range by two armed men, who came on a bike, near his residence here at Baikuntha Nagar in Baidyanathpur police station area on Monday. “We have formed six teams with a senior officer in each of those to investigate the incident. Each team has been assigned specific jobs -- identification of the accused, analysis of CCTV footage, search of the shooters and technical probe, among others,” SP Saravana Vivek M said.

“In the last two days, 30 persons have been interrogated, footage of over 75 CCTV cameras analysed, and raids conducted at 20 locations. The teams are on their jobs and hope there will be a breakthrough soon,” he added.

The exact firearm used in the murder would be known from the ballistic report. Experts are analysing the bullet retrieved from the body of the deceased to prepare the report,” he said. A two-member team of doctors conducted the post-mortem examination at the MKCG Medical College and Hospital. “The assailants might have fired at the upper portion of his right chest from a two-metre range,” said Professor Sudeepa Das, one of the doctors who performed the post-mortem examination. She said the bullet, however, was retrieved from the upper lumbar spine.