The toll in the Parlakhemundi royal palace "suicide" case today increased to four with the death of former palace manager Anang Manjari Patra's another brother during treatment at a hospital in Berhampur.
The police had yesterday recovered bodies of Ananga Manjari, her brother Sanjay Patra, ex-personal assistant of Maharaj Gopinath Gajapati Narayan Deo, and their sister Bijaylaxmi from a house at Parlakhemundi.
"Santosh Patra alias Tulu died this evening during treatment. He was yesterday admitted at the medical college hospital here," MKCG Medical College Hospital superintendent A K Behera said.
Santosh was rescued from the kitchen of the house in Paralakhemundi yesterday in a critical condition while his three siblings were found dead.
Santosh's statement was significant in investigation point of view as he was the lone survivor in the suicide case. However, he died this evening when the investigators were trying to record his statement at the hospital.
Though DGP K B Singh said the police have recovered three suicide notes from the house at Parlakhemundi, Santosh's statement was vital to uncover the mystery behind the death, said a senior police officer.
The family members of the former palace manager today cremated the bodies of Ananga Manjari Patra, Sanjay Patra and Bijaylaxmi Patra after postmortem.
The police yesterday had recovered bodies of Anang Manjari, Sanjay and Bijaylaxmi from their house after local residents complained of foul smell emanating from their house bolted from inside.
The former manager and her brother Sanjay were accused of keeping the Parala Maharaj under house arrest and financial misappropriation pertaining to the property transactions of the royal family.
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