Double Murder: 12-Hour Bandh By Congress Disrupts Traffic On Banki-Cuttack Road

Cuttack: Traffic on Banki-Cuttack road came to grinding halt as Congress workers staged a blockade by burning tyres to protest against the alleged slow progress in the police investigation into the sensational double murder case in Banki.

The party has called for 12-hour bandh to press for the arrest of all the accused in the murder of Congress activist and husband of Nuagaon sarpanch Bhagaban Swain (40) and journalist Aditya Ransingh (38) on February 17. They also blocked blocked Banki-Cuttack-Baideswar-Kalapathar road and other parts of the region.

All shops, markets, educational institutions and other commercial establishments also remained shut.

Suspecting involvement of local BJD MLA and a former MLA in the murder, the Congress had earlier demanded a Crime Branch probe into the brutal murders.

“We have called for Banki bandh from 5 AM to 5 PM today. We are demanding a Crime Branch probe into the double murder as we suspect involvement of senior BJD leaders in the case,” said Congress leader Debasish Patnaik.

Police have so far arrested seven persons – Kalia alias Jitendra Swain, Balabhadra Pradhan, Sushant Pradhan, Himanshu Bhusan Routray, Taria Pradhan, Papu Pradhan and Dipu Behera – in connection with the double murder.

While police have attributed the murders to previous rivalry and claimed involvement of 10 to 15 persons, a video in which Bhagaban had named a few miscreants before the murder has also gone viral.