A massive political controversy erupted over murder of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and his associate in Odisha’s Cuttack district with party’s State leadership alleging that he was killed for voicing against corruption of ruling Biju Janata Dal.
Kulamani Baral, former chairperson of Mahanga block, and his associate Dibyasingh Baral were hacked to death while returning to their village Nrutanga on Saturday evening. More than six miscreants attacked them suddenly at Jankot and the leaders suffered critical injuries to their head and face. They were rushed to Mahanga hospital and then the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack, but they succumbed to injuries.
Kulamani Baral’s son Ramakant has filed a police complaint naming 12 persons from Nrutunga and Jankoti village. The Cuttack district police instituted five teams to apprehend accused of the organised murder. In 2018, Bikash Jena, another BJP leader from Nrutanga panchayat, was killed.
“My father had highlighted instances of corruption in the block. As per his formal complaints, the administration had launched probe into illegalities in allocation under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna (PMAY) scheme. Moreover, we had previously informed police about threat on my father’s life,” he said.
A team of BJP leaders, including party president Sameer Mohanty and Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik, participated in the funeral procession at deceased’s village on Sunday.
“Kulamani Baral was in-charge of Salepur assembly constituency and represented Mahanga constituency in State executive body of the party. The way he was killed is an unfortunate incident. People became blood-thirsty when he exposed massive corruption in PMAY scheme allotment,” said Mr. Mohanty.
The BJP State president said the party would raise the issue at different fora and take it to logical conclusion. “The former block president had registered 30 complaints of corruptions. BJD leaders were behind the murder. Those, who were behind murder of our another party leader two years ago, executed the heinous crime this time also,” alleged Mr. Naik.
