The Crime Branch of police has launched a manhunt to nab the miscreant who set a female teacher on fire for not withdrawing the molestation case against a suspended sub-inspector (SI) of schools in Odisha's Rayagada district, as the role of ruling BJD MP came under the scanner of the investigators.
The Crime Branch team has been searching the man who poured kerosene on the teacher before setting her afire on October 27 night. The teacher succumbed to burn injury last week. "Capture of the miscreant will provide major clue to unearth truth behind the teacher's killing," a senior CB official said.
The victim before her death at a private hospital in Andhra Pradesh had told local Tehsildar P K Das that an unidentified attacker knocked door of her hostel room and when she opened the door he poured kerosene and set her afire.
"Basing on the victim's statement, we suspect that some one other than Netrananda Dandsena was involved in the case," the CB official said, adding that the teacher had lodged a molestation case against Dandsena in July.
The investigation would reveal who the man was and whether he was hired by Dansena or engaged by someone else, the official said, adding that the CB would take all possible steps to ensure capture of the culprit.
The CB investigation will also look into allegation made by the victim's family. "The victim's family has named a BJD MP as the man behind the incident. Therefore, we will certainly probe into it," he said.
Responding to the allegation of the victim's family, BJD MP from Koraput, Jayasram Pangi said: "I am ready to face any inquiry. I suspect some of my party people are trying to defame me."
Meanwhile, political leaders cutting across party lines, civil society members, women activists and others today visited house of the deceased teacher at Muninda village in Delanga area in Puri district.
Leaders including Niranjan Pattnaik of Congress, B B Harichandan of BJP, Prafulla Samantara, Manoj Jena of Samata Kranti and Debiprasad Prusti visited the victim's family.
Dandsena, who was arrested from Odisha-Andhra border, had been interrogated by the CB sleuths.
