Berhampur: In what appears to be a case of contract killing, professional ‘supari’ killers are suspected to have executed the cold-blooded murder of senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda in Berhampur on Monday night, sending shock-waves through the city’s legal and political circles.

Confirming this suspicion, Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the pattern and precision of the attack point toward hired assassins. “Every indication suggests the involvement of professional shooters. We are tracking every lead, and arrests will follow soon,” the SP told reporters after visiting the victim’s residence on Tuesday night, shortly after returning from a training in Hyderabad.

During the Berhampur SP’s absence, Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra had spearheaded the initial probe. Now, SDPO Town Priyash Ranjan Chotray has been appointed as the Investigating Officer (IO), supported by six police teams.

Police sources said investigators have retrieved 50 CCTV footage, among which one clearly shows the killer wearing a white shirt and helmet, escaping on a motorcycle after firing two rounds. A country-made revolver is suspected to have been used. The killers are believed to have reached near Panda’s residence at Baikuntha Nagar from Aska Road First Gate, and fled along the same route after the crime.

Eyewitnesses said two assailants intercepted Panda near his house and opened fire, one bullet piercing his chest. Locals rushed him to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, but doctors declared him dead upon arrival.

A veteran lawyer and respected social figure, Pitabas Panda, once a Congress leader, had joined the BJP ahead of the last general elections. His assassination marks one of the most daring contract killings in recent years in South Odisha.

The Ganjam Bar Association (GBA) has condemned the murder of Pitabas Panda. Advocates across Berhampur joined a cease work stir and peaceful procession, demanding arrest of the culprits in 48 hours. “Supari killers are walking on our streets. If justice fails here, fear will rule everywhere,” said one advocate.

With scientific and technical teams zeroing in on crucial leads, the investigation has intensified. As Berhampur mourns one of its most prominent sons, the city watches anxiously — waiting for the police to unmask the dark network of hired goons that shattered its peace.