Cuttack: Four days after the mysterious death of Oriya album and cine actor Ranajit Patnaik alias Raja, Soro police Wednesday began a probe into the death.
The move came after the family members of the 38-year-old actor lodged a complaint of murder into his death Tuesday. The police have registered a murder case under Sections 302 and 34 of IPC.
The police have summoned the three persons — Raja’s co-actor Pralipta Priyadarshini Samal (Jessi), programme coordinator Pralay Jena and Dhaneswar, the driver of the car that the actor had hired on the fateful day. The three were named in the FIR lodged by the family members. However, none of them turned up at the police station till late evening.
Pralay called the police station and said he was alone at home and thus could not come, while Dhaneswar said he has taken ill and would only be able to come to the police station Thursday, Soro inspector-in-charge Parsuram Sahu said. Jessi, however, did not inform the police about the reason for not turning up at the police station. Police have said they will take action in accordance with the law.
Meanwhile, a four-member scientific team, accompanied by police personnel from Soro, visited the bridge over Kansabansa River where the actor was said to have fallen. The team examined the area where Raja had fallen and also the area from where he was rescued.
“We are waiting for the responses of Jessi, Pralay and Dhaneswar and will expedite the probe on the basis of their statements. We will investigate which other places they had visited that night, what had happened inside the car, and why Tushar, another cine actor who was to perform at the show, had not gone. We will also look at other angles,” Sahu said. PNN
