RAYAGADA: Acting on the directive of Odisha Government, Agriculture Commissioner Rajesh Verma on Wednesday began the administrative inquiry into the murder of Itishree Pradhan. Itishree, a teacher in Tikiri Project Primary School in Rayagada district, was set afire by unidentified miscreants last year. Verma held discussion with District Collector Sasibhusan Padhi and SP Rajesh Pandit at the Circuit House here amid tight security. Complying to the Supreme Court directive, the Home Department had issued the probe order and assigned Verma to conduct the inquiry. Sources said the Home Department has asked Verma to submit final report of the inquiry within 14 weeks. The direction for inquiry was issued on April 26. Itishree was set afire by unknown miscreants on October 27, 2013. She succumbed to injuries in a private hospital in Visakhapatnam on November 1. Her death snowballed into a major controversy as Itishree had alleged administrative negligence to her plea for action against officials who threatened her of dire consequences if she did not withdrew the sexual harassment case that she filed against School Inspector Netrananda Dandasena. Dandasena is the main accused in the case. After the public outcry over the murder, the State Government suspended IIC of Tikiri police station Sujit Kumar Say, ASI Muralidhar Pradhan, DI of schools Dharanidhara Behera and Dandasena. The Government also assigned the Crime Branch to probe into the matter. Though the Crime Branch filed the charge-sheet in the case, it could not identify the miscreants who set Itishree on fire. The National Commission for Women (NCW) had recommended for a CBI probe into the murder and suspension of the Collector and SP of the district. Subsequently, the NCW team members Mamata Kheria and Manasi Pradhan had met the Chief Secretary, DGP, Chairperson of State Commission for Women and Secretary of School and Mass Education Department. Besides, a Bengalurubased law student Sudipta Lenka had filed a PIL in the Supreme Court seeking inquiry by the National probe agency into Itishree’s murder.