Patnagarh Gift Box Blast Case Takes A New Turn

Balangir: The sensational wedding gift box blast that took away the lives of a bridegroom and his grandmother and left the bride with severe burn injuries at Bholanathpada of Bramhapura village under Patnagarh police limits in Odisha’s Balangir district on February 23 has taken a new turn after father of the bridegroom Rabindra Kumar Sahu on Monday told the media that an anonymous caller in March last year had warned his son of dire consequences if he marries the girl.

Police came to know about the incident while interrogating Papu, the nephew of Rabindra Kumar Sahu, on Sunday night.

“The wedding engagement between Soumya Sekhar and Rinarani was held in March last year. However, after a few days of their engagement, my son had received a threatening call from an anonymous caller who talked to him in Odia with coastal accent. My son later had informed about the incident to my nephew,” Rabindra said.

Police on February 4 had detained two persons of Boudh district suspecting their involvement in the incident.

Police had also recorded the statement of Rinarani under Section 161 CrPC in presence of a local magistrate at the plastic surgery ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on February 3.

With a series of breakthrough in the case so far, the police is hopeful of tracking down the accused.

The marriage of Soumya with Rinarani was solemnized on February 18.

However, tragedy struck in the afternoon on February 23 when Soumya with his wife and grandmother Jemamani Sahu were seriously injured after one of the gift boxes that they were opening suddenly exploded.

The trio was rushed to Patnagarh government hospital where the doctors declared Jemamani as received dead. As the condition of Soumya worsened, he was shifted to Ispat General Hospital in Rourkela where he succumbed to his injuries. Rinarani was initially admitted to the Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in Burla with nearly 60 percent burn injuries. Later, she was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack where she is presently admitted to the Plastic Surgery ward.