Bhubaneswar: Senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabas Panda was shot dead in Odisha’s Berhampur city on Monday evening.
According to sources, two motorcycle-borne assailants fired two rounds at Panda near his residence at Brahmanagar under Baidyanathpur police limits at around 10 pm. He sustained bullet injuries in his chest and was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in a critical condition but was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.
Following the incident, police rushed to the spot and initiated an investigation to ascertain the motive behind the attack. Footage of nearby CCTV cameras are being scanned to identify the assailants.
Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena along with several BJP leaders also rushed to hospital after hearing about the incident.
Panda, who was also a member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was previously associated with the Congress. He was also at the forefront in the fight against corruption and crimes in Berhampur city.
