Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow over the murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda in Berhampur. Strongly condemning the heinous act, the Chief Minister directed the police administration to identify and apprehend the culprits at the earliest and ensure exemplary punishment against those involved.

Majhi also asserted that Odisha is a peaceful State, and such “barbaric” and “inhuman” incidents will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The Chief Minister conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members of the late BJP leader.

The BJP co-incharge for Odisha, Lata Usendi, has also condemned the brutal killing of the BJP leader in Berhampur. She said, “The murder of a senior advocate and BJP leader is deeply disturbing. Such incidents not only reflect the deteriorating law and order situation but also vitiate the social atmosphere. The government must take strict and immediate action against those responsible for this heinous act.Already, our Chief Minister has made a stand on this.”

The Opposition Biju Janata Dal too condemned the murder of Panda. Senior BJD leader Bhrugu Baxipatra on Tuesday termed the murder of Panda as a serious and sensitive incident. He also targeted the State government, alleging that cases of violence against women and murders have been taking place throughout the State almost every day, pointing towards the collapsing law and order situation in Odisha.

“We want to reiterate that the law-and-order situation has been completely paralysed in Odisha since the Bharatiya Janata Party government came to power. During the last 16 months, 128 murders have taken place in Ganjam district. There have been three murders in the past 24 hours in the district. It is the same police that had brought crime under complete control under the Naveen Patnaik government. But now, the police are unable to control murder incidents or investigate it properly,” Baxipatra said.

“The BJD has been pleading before the State government for the last year to bring the law-and-order situation in the State under control,” he said.

Panda was shot dead by unknown bike-borne assailants near his residence at Baikunthanagar in Berhampur late Monday evening. Two bike-borne miscreants waiting for the victim near his residence approached him and fired two rounds from close range before fleeing the spot at around 10 pm on Monday.

The BJP leader sustained grievous bullet wounds in his chest. Locals immediately rushed the critically injured Panda to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, who, along with several BJP leaders, visited the hospital, said the Chief Minister was monitoring the incident and in constant touch with the family.

Meanwhile, the police have launched a manhunt to nab the culprits, though the motive of the murder remains unclear.