BALANGIR/BHUBANESWAR: Gobinda Sahu, the prime accused in the 2021 school teacher Mamita Meher murder case, allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday morning in Kantabanji sub-jail, sending the sensational case into a tail spin.
The 55-year-old Sahu was reportedly found hanging from a window behind the jail kitchen at around 8.30 am. He was scheduled to appear before the court of judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) in Balangir district late in the day.
As Sahu’s ‘custodial death’ triggered widespread political outrage with opposition crying murder, a red-faced Odisha Police ordered a Crime Branch probe. The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) also took a suo motu cognizance of the matter and issued notices to the Special DG, Prisons and Balangir SP seeking report within 15 days.
Acting on Director General of Police Sunil Bansal’s order, a Crime Branch team led by DSP Bijay Mallick and three other officers headed to Kantbanji to take over the probe. The squad comprises forensic, cyber experts and photo bureau of the state police.
DIG, Prisons (Sambalpur range) Anusaya Jena also reached Kantabanji jail for a probe into circumstances leading to Sahu’s death. She said the preliminary probe suggested the accused used towels to hang from the window which was located at a height of six feet.
As the alleged suicide snowballed into a major political controversy, the government placed under suspension jail warden Akshaya Mohanty for dereliction of duty. According to DIG Jena, since many small fruit-bearing trees dot the backside of the prison, nobody could notice Sahu taking the extreme step. The jail, she said, was short-staffed. There were about 71 inmates in Kantabanji sub-jail and 67 of them are under-trial prisoners. The jail has no special cell.
With Sahu’s death, trial in the murder case will now proceed with the only other accused Radhe Shyam Chandi who happened to Sahu’s driver and charged with helping him with disposing off the lady teacher’s body and destroying evidence.
Mamita’s murder in October last year had triggered a wave of protests with former minister Dibya Shankar Mishra dragged into the controversy as opposition accused his nexus with Sahu.Sahu was the president of the Sunshine English Medium School in Kalahandi’s Mahaling and his institution was frequented by leaders of the ruling BJD. Her murder in mysterious circumstances had given the opposition a weapon to target the state government.
On October 8, 2021, Mamita, a native of Turekela block of Balangir, went missing shortly after she allegedly met Sahu. Her parents went to Kegaon police station to lodge a complaint only to be turned away. After political outcry, Sindhikela police station registered a case and detained Sahu.
However, days later, he managed to escape from Titlagarh police barracks where he was lodged for interrogation. As the controversy intensified, Balangir police arrested him on October 19 within hours of discovery of buried charred remains of what was believed to be Mamita, from a playground near a college in Mahaling.In a 2000-page chargesheet, Balangir police named Sahu and Chandi as the two accused in the sensational murder. Ten witnesses had been examined by the prosecution.
Sahu was also facing a separate case for threatening a witness. He had recently moved the high court seeking bail but his plea was rejected. “Sahu possibly felt there was no way to escape from stringent punishment and might have taken the extreme step inside the jail,” said a prison officer.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)