Former member of Sri Jagannath temple managing committee shot useless in Odisha

By Express News Service

PURI: At least two unknown assailants allegedly gunned down a servitor of the Jagannath temple on Wednesday morning. The servitor Krushana Chandra Pratihari was shot useless inside Barabati jagaghar (faculty of conventional martial arts) at Harchandi Sahi beneath Puri Town police limits over previous enmity, sources stated.

Sources stated there was a heated argument between the assailants and Pratihari earlier than the previous fired at him from a detailed vary about 10.40 am killing him on the spot.

Pratihari was a former member of the Sri Jagannath temple managing committee and basic secretary of Suar Mahasuar Nijog.

Locals rushed Pratihari to district headquarters hospital the place medical doctors declared him introduced useless. Town police recovered the physique and despatched it for postmortem.

The deceased’s brother Narasingh Pratihari has lodged a criticism naming at the least three individuals for killing Pratihari. Police have recovered two empty bullets and a pair of footwear from the spot.

Sources stated police have recognized the youths from CCTV footage. The footage of different business and personal institutions situated alongside the exit routes are being scanned. The entry and exit routes have been sealed and looking of automobiles has begun.

Puri SP Okay Vishal Singh stated efforts are on to arrest the killers. The police of close by districts have been alerted concerning the homicide and 4 groups have been fashioned to find them, he stated.

Local individuals alleged that the homicide was a fall out of enmity between two teams. On 12 September 2012, a strong servitor of Puri temple Taluchha Bhagban Simhari was shot useless from point-blank vary in Panchayat Jagaghar situated in Harchandi Sahi.  He was a member of the civic physique council.

Police had then arrested six individuals together with Pratihari within the Simhari homicide case and charge-sheeted them. After a protracted authorized combat for 9 years, the Additional Sessions Court had acquitted all of the accused individuals on January 19. 

Earlier, miscreants had fired three bullets on BJD chief and former Minister Maheswar Mohanty whereas the trial of Simhari homicide case was on, however he survived. Police had arrested 5 individuals on this connection. 

The contemporary homicide in Harchandi Sahi has unfold panic amongst locals, who claimed all these incidents are related. Police presence within the space has been beefed up.

“We are investigating the case from different angles. There were a number of persons inside the Jagaghar at the time of the killing but none has come forward to narrate the incident and name the killers,” stated a police officer.