Bolangir: A school managing committee chairman at Sikachhida village under Sadar police limits in this district was killed in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The victim, identified as Ramdash Mahakur, was the chairman of the Sikachhida Primary School in the village. He was also the president of Omfed Milk Farmers Cooperative Society and an active worker of BJP.
The murder sent shockwaves across the area as hundreds of people from adjoining village rushed to the spot on hearing the news. Past enmity is said to be the murder motive.
When his body was recovered, it had multiple injuries: head was broken and there were several injury marks. His bicycle, slippers, a steel jar, a solar light and a lathi were found lying at the spot.
His father, Mohan Mahakur, has alleged the involvement of the village sarpanch in the murder in his FIR as the two had a fight on handing over the work contract of school compound wall construction, irregularities in MGNREGS plantation programme undertaken by the school and other issues during a gram sabha at the panchayat office October 2.
The incident occurred when he had been to his cowshed to collect milk near Jhankribahal Patra jungle close to the village when miscreants attacked him and left him dead, family members said.
Sadar SDPO Narayan Nayak, Sadar IIC Jyotirmaya Bhukta and a forensic team reached the spot and started an investigation as circumstantial evidences indicated the involvement of several persons in the murder.
Preliminary investigation indicated that miscreants might have pounced on him and hit his head with iron bars and lathis to kill him. He left his home as usual at 5 am when a passerby noticed his mutilated body and informed his father.
When contacted, SDPO Nayak said an investigation is on and all the accused will soon be arrested. The body was handed over to his family members after post-mortem in the district headquarters hospital. The victim is survived by his widow, two minor children, elderly parents and a younger brother. PNN
