BERHAMPUR: Even as Berhampur police continues to grope in the dark over the brutal murder of Pitabasa Panda, the advocate and BJP leader’s son on Thursday demanded harshest of punishment for the culprits.
A second year law student, Saurabh Panda said the barbaric act has devastated his family. He recalled speaking to his father shortly before the murder. “I asked him to bring biryani. He purchased it and was on way home. Before he could make it back, he was shot dead,” he said.
“Whosoever is involved in my father’s murder should get capital punishment,” Saurabh said adding, police visited his home and sought to find out if Pitabasa had ever discussed with the family about any known enemy.
In fact, police too has been trying to ascertain the motive of murder since the advocate was fighting a number of important cases. His stand against sand, ganja and liquor mafia had earned several enemies. In the SI recruitment scam, he had strongly demanded arrest of the mastermind. Pitabasa was also an RTI activist and often raised his voice against corruption.
A senior officer said police was finding it difficult to zero in on the motive since the noted lawyer had taken up cases with significant legal repercussions.
So far, six teams have been formed to investigate various angles of the case and conduct raids. CCTV installed along highways are being checked to find clues about the killers.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the pattern and precision of the attack pointed toward hired assassins. “The suspect, spotted in white shirt and helmet, could possibly be a contract killer. Involvement of professional shooters cannot be ruled out,” he said.
While police is ascertaining the route of escape of the killers, unconfirmed sources said a police team left for Andhra Pradesh, probably after getting some vital clues. Meanwhile, police were waiting for the ballistic report to get clarity on the firearm used in the murder. The bullet which was retrieved from Pitabasa’s body was sent to State Forensic Laboratory for examination.