A ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and president of the Berhampur Central Cooperative Bank (BCCB) Alekh Choudhry (69), and two others, died in a fire accident at his house in the Gosaninuagaon area of Odisha’s Berhampur in the early hours of Friday.
The other two deceased were identified as Mr. Choudhry’s brother-in-law Bhagaban Patra (84) and a youth named Sunil Behera (19). The young man was the caregiver of the ailing Mr. Patra.
According to fire officials involved in the rescue operation, electrical short circuit in an air conditioner was suspected to be reason behind the accident. The three victims were sleeping inside the house when the fire broke out.
None of the victims had any burn injuries; even their hair was untouched by the fire. According to police sources, all of them are suspected to have died of asphyxiation from the thick smoke within the house.
Assistant Fire Officer (AFO) of Berhampur, Sanatan Mohapatra said, “The fire broke out at the residence of Mr. Choudhury at around 2.15 a.m. We managed to rescue the three unconscious persons and shifted them to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in the city for treatment.”
Later, all three victims were declared dead by doctors at the hospital.
The deceased Mr. Choudhury was a popular leader of Ganjam district. He started his political career in the Congress and later joined the BJD. He was former president of the Ganjam District Congress Committee (DCC). He contested twice from the Berhampur Assembly constituency and once from Aska Assembly segment in the past, but never won. He joined the BJD before the 2014 elections.
