SAMBALPUR: Nearly a month after the brutal murder of West Bengal migrant worker Sheikh Juel Rana, Sambalpur police has not been able to conduct the test identification parade despite six arrests in the sensational case.
Police claimed that none of the injured witnesses has yet turned out to participate in the TI parade. It, initially, did not disclose the identity of the accused because it was waiting for the TI parade to be completed.
Contacted, Ainthapali inspector-in-charge PK Swain said the delay in the TI parade was primarily due to the non-availability of key witnesses, including the two injured migrant workers who survived the attack.
“Despite multiple communications, none of the witnesses turned up due to which the TI parade could not be conducted. However, the investigation is continuing simultaneously, and the arrested accused remain in judicial custody,” Swain said.”
While six persons have been arrested so far, police records reportedly mention the indirect involvement of another individual, suspected to be a conspirator in the crime, informed an official source. However, investigators acknowledge that without participation of the injured eyewitnesses, establishing the larger conspiracy would be difficult.
Sambalpur SP Mukesh Bhamoo was guarded about the alleged seventh accused, citing sensitivity of the ongoing investigation. “Information related to the seventh suspect is confidential and cannot be shared at this stage of investigation. However, there may be an element of indirect involvement,” he said.
On the delayed TI parade, the SP acknowledged that such a procedure would have strengthened the prosecution’s case but asserted that its absence would not derail the trial. “A timely TI parade would certainly have added strength to our claim. However, the case will proceed on the basis of the evidence already collected, and there will be no hindrance to the trial on that account,” Bhamoo stated.
The shocking incident occurred late evening of December 24 at Danipali when three migrant workers stepped out to have tea. A group of local youths allegedly approached them, initially asking for bidis and later demanding a mobile phone.
When the workers refused, a scuffle broke out, resulting in the death of 20-year-old Juel Rana and injuries to two others. Initially, police stated that the altercation was triggered by a dispute over bidis. However, during the course of investigation, based on the statements of the accused, demands for money and a mobile phone were also added to the sequence of events.
On the other hand, contrary to police claims, the witnesses had made a statement following the incident that the accused allegedly confronted the labourers terming them illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and the scuffle intensified when the labourers were trying to produce their IDs.