ROURKELA: The 44-year-old farmer of Bisra who went missing on February 29, was murdered and his body disposed of in a farm field in adjacent Jharkhand.
Body of the missing farmer Mangal Oram, a native of Jamberna in Bisra block, arrived in Sundargarh on Saturday evening, triggering protest from the locals. Villagers of Jamberna along with Mangal’s family members and relatives gheraoed Jhirpani police station demanding immediate arrest of the culprits involved in the farmer’s murder.
Villagers said Mangal used to visit different weekly markets to sell his crops and also ferry other farmers in his pick-up van. He along with some farmers had gone to Jhirpani weekly market in his van on February 29. After dropping the farmers at the market, Mangal disappeared with his van.
“We suspect one or more miscreants might have kidnapped Mangal and killed him to steal his vehicle,” they added.
Birmitrapur MLA Shankar Oram, who had earlier led protests against the police for their failure to trace the missing farmer, said the last call Mangal received on his phone was from one Sukru Pradhan of Thethaitangar in Simdega district of Jharkhand. Soon after, the phones of Mangal and Sukru got switched off and both went missing.
Shankar claimed while police were beating around the bush, villagers continuously searched for Mangal. On Friday, villagers of Jamberna got information that an unidentified body was recovered from Jaldega in Simdega district a few days back. They accompanied Jhirpani police to Jharkhand where they came to know that Jaldega police recovered Mangal’s body from a farm field. As the body was unclaimed, the local police buried it on March 6. The body was exhumed and postmortem was conducted again at Jaldega before being brought to Jhirpani police station.
Zone-I DSP Pushpanjali Ningi said after recovery of the farmer’s body, a murder case has been registered. The culprits involved in Mangal’s murder would be arrested soon. Without giving any detail, Ningi said physical evidence and digital footprints are being analysed and investigation is underway. She said Mangal’s vehicle has not been traced yet.
After assurance from police, Mangal’s family members called off their protest and cremated the body at Teterkela ghat on Saturday night.