ROURKELA: The mysterious deaths of assistant collector Sushmita Minz and police ASI Alice Narmi Lugun (37) have snowballed into a major issue with the BJP seeking to use it as ammunition to corner the state government. The state Mahila Morcha of BJP has called for Sundargarh bandh on Thursday while local MP and former union minister Jual Oram reiterated the demand for a CBI probe into the two ‘murders’.
Terming the BJD government as anti-tribal, Jual said there is resentment among the tribal population over the two incidents. A police inquiry has failed to solve the mystery surrounding the assistant collector’s suspicious death. It is hard to believe that the tribal woman officer drowned in six feet-deep water.
“If the Sundargarh administration was aware of any mental pressure on Minz, why didn’t it take necessary steps? Why was she staying in a hotel and not in any government accommodation? There are many loose ends in the case,” alleged the BJP MP. Claiming that ASI Lugun was the assistant collector’s bodyguard, Jual alleged that she was attacked and murdered at a road accident scene when she was pacifying the public. This also raises suspicion.
The assistant collector’s brother Sandip also said only a CBI probe can establish the exact cause of his sister’s death. “I am not convinced about the suicide theory. Our family was not aware of any previous mental health issues of my sister. Investigation by the CBI can establish whether she was murdered or not.”
The brother further claimed ASI Lugun had accompanied Minz on many occasions and knew something about the assistant collector. “Now, I have reasons to believe that the lady ASI was also eliminated to protect big names during the inquiry,” he added.
The 35-year-old assistant collector was found dead in the pond of Sensory Park here on September 19. Similarly, ASI Lugun (37) died mysteriously while managing a law and order situation at a road accident site on October 1.