BHUBANESWAR: Two persons were detained by police on Tuesday in connection with the murder of BJP leader Manguli Jena. The two are among the five persons who were interrogated during the day.
Earlier, Odisha police handed over the investigation of the case to the Crime Branch following a huge political and public outcry over the murder of the BJP leader.
DGP in-charge B K Sharma said a Crime Branch team is probing the case and a Deputy SP rank officer is its investigating officer. Inspector General Arun Bothra is monitoring the probe, Sharma added.
According to preliminary investigation, the attack seems to be over past enmity, but a political rivalry cannot be ruled out and probe is on from all angles, a police officer said.
Khurda (Zone-9) Mandal president of BJP Manguli was returning from the house of BJP Khurda Assembly candidate Kalu Khandayatray with his brother Bishnu Charan Jena when he was waylaid by two bike-borne miscreants near Nabin Bag and shot at point blank range. According to Bishnu, the shooter escaped in a car waiting for him, while the other miscreant escaped on a two-wheeler.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhubaneswar MP candidate from BJP Aparajita Sarangi met the bereaved family of Manguli. Pradhan alleged that despite having information about the accused, no action has been taken so far. He urged the people to fight bullets with ballots.