PURI: The State police handed over the investigation of the alleged murder of Chitta Ranjan Palei to the Crime Branch (CB) on Wednesday. Chitta (22), a native of Sanabenakudi village in Puri’s Brahmagiri, was a close associate of BJD leader and deputy chairman of State Planning Board Sanjay Dasburma.
A four-member CB team headed by DSP Sisir Mishra, arrived at Puri on the day and took over the probe from Sadar police. Though a special investigation team (SIT) was formed by Puri SP K Vishal Singh to investigate Chitta’s death, the youth’s family members had demanded a CB probe into his ‘murder’.
Chitta’s sister Gili Palei and uncle Purna Chandra Palei had alleged that he was murdered in a planned manner by his friend Jagannath Sarangi. “Jagannath had taken around Rs 3 lakh from him but was refusing to pay the amount back. Due to this reason, he killed Chitta,” they had claimed.
On Tuesday, the BJP had demanded the resignation of Dasburma from the planning board for his alleged involvement in the youth’s death. Dasburma had also met IG Narasingh Bhol and the Puri SP seeking a thorough investigation into Chitta’s death and immediate arrest of the culprits involved.
Reportedly, Chitta had gone to attend a picnic with his friends on Friday night. When he did not return home, family members lodged a missing complaint with police. During search, the cops found Jagannath with critical injuries near Gadamrugasira village within Sadar police limits. Police also found blood stains and Chitta’s belongings at the spot.
On Sunday, Chitta’s body with multiple injury marks was found floating in Nuanai river following which police registered a case of murder. Sadar police has arrested Jagannath after rounding up half a dozen of youths for interrogation.
Crime file
Chitta had gone to attend a picnic with friends but never returned home
On Sunday, his body with multiple injury marks was found in Nuanai river
Puri SP K Vishal Singh formed SIT to probe death
Police rounded up half a dozen of youths for interrogation