JEYPORE: The prime accused in Rajnagar firing case, Town Youth BJD president Bikash Patra, was arrested by Jeypore Police on Wednesday from Hatiar village in West Bengal.
On September 25, Patra and seven others had fired at Kunu Nayak and his son Santosh of Godia Dhoba Street, leaving the two critically injured, over political rivalry. The father-son duo had escaped narrowly.
Following the incident, Patra absconded and police began search operations in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal. For over a month, Patra remained out of reach for police despite an intensive hunt at all possible hideouts.
Patra’s luck ran out when on a tip off, police went to Hatiar and along with West Bengal Police, arrested him. They produced him in local court which forwarded him in judicial custody on Thursday.
Following the incident, Patra, in a 10-minute live video, had clarified that he retaliated after his family members were attacked by the father-son duo in the past. “Both Santosh and Kunu had attacked my house several times and it was reported to local police. But police remained silent which forced me to retaliate,” he alleged.
The incident had led to verbal duel between BJD leader and former Minister Rabi Narayan Nanda and State Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati.
Alleging involvement of Nanda in the attack on father-son duo, Bahinipati had demanded an impartial probe. In his counter, Nanda said the law and order situation in the town has deteriorated after Bahinipati was elected MLA. Nanda had said the Congress leaders have links with notorious criminals of the State and are now shedding crocodile tears on growing crime rate in the town.
Patra was dismissed from the party after the incident and earlier, five other accused were arrested from different parts of the district.