Local BJP leader and senior lawyer Pitabas Panda was shot dead near his residence in Odisha's Berhampur on Monday night. Panda, who was also a member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was attacked outside his home in the Brahmanagar area by two motorcycle-borne assailants.
According to police, the miscreants opened fire at Panda at around 10 pm. He was shot twice and rushed immediately to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment.
Meanwhile, three teams have been constituted to carry out the investigation into the murder incident.
Following the incident, tension gripped Berhampur city. Senior police officials rushed to the scene and began examining CCTV footage to identify the attackers. Authorities have stated that a thorough investigation will be conducted to determine the motive behind the attack and bring those responsible to justice.
BJP condemns killing
Accordign to a report by News18, BJP State President Manmohan Samal visited the hospital to pay his respects to the slain leader. Other senior party members, including Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik, BJP Organisation Secretary Manas Mohanty, and Berhampur MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, also mourned Panda’s death and expressed deep condolences to his family.
Describing Panda as a dedicated organiser, party leaders termed his death an irreparable loss for the Ganjam district BJP.
The BJP leadership vowed that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the murder. “There is no place for lawlessness or hooliganism under the BJP government. Whoever is behind the murder of Pitabas Panda will face appropriate punishment,” said State President Samal.
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