Berhampur: In a major development in the Pitabash Panda murder case, police on Wednesday conducted a crime scene recreation with the accused to piece together how the murder was executed. The reconstruction, carried out at the crime spot, has helped investigators uncover several crucial details about the incident.
According to sources, police took accused Chintu Pradhan and Kurupatti Bhuyan to the scene of the crime, where they demonstrated the sequence of events leading to Pitabash Panda’s killing. The accused showed the police the motorcycle they used, the route they took, and how the murder was carried out — beginning with a customary greeting (“namaskar”) before firing at the victim from close range.
Police believe the murder was a premeditated, contract-based killing, and preliminary interrogation has revealed information about who arranged the deal and the amount involved.
Earlier, police had arrested Uma Bisoyi and Kurupatti Bhuyan on Tuesday and produced them in court. Though the police had sought a seven-day remand, the court granted two days of custody, during which officers intensified the probe. A total of six accused — Uma Bisoyi, Kurupatti Bhuyan, Madan Dalei, Malay Bisoyi, Jogendra Rout, and Chintu Pradhan — have been taken into remand for interrogation.
Public Prosecutor confirmed that police are applying sustained interrogation methods to extract more information. The family of the deceased expressed cautious optimism, saying they are hopeful of justice as several key leads have already been uncovered.
Investigators have also learned that Pitabash Panda had received two threatening phone calls shortly before his murder, a detail his brother claims was reported to the police earlier. The probe has since expanded, with more suspects being detained and questioned to unravel the full conspiracy behind the killing.
