Missing forest guard back but mystery remains

BHAWANIPATNA: Five months after he went missing, forest guard of Biswanathpur range in Kalahandi district mysteriously returned to his native Dasigaon village on Tuesday. The 25-year-old guard Suhag Ranjan Panda had gone missing from Lanjigarh Road where he stayed in a rented house with his mother and younger brother on October 21 last year. 

Kalahandi SP Saravana Vivek said Panda has not yet revealed under the circumstances under which he went missing. “He complained of health problems but none was detected upon examination. The circumstances behind his missing are being investigated,” he said. Police said Panda, a B Pharm graduate, had joined Forest department as a guard after death of his father, who too was a guard.

Although he has been working for the over a year, he was not satisfied with his job. All possible angles relating to his disappearance are being probed, said the SP. Panda’s return to to his village is as mysterious as his disappearance. He informed the DFO office of his return but did not reveal anything else. His relatives too are tight-lipped over the matter. 

On the morning of October 21, Panda had left for Khiksabhata beat on his motorcycle. He had told his mother that he will visit the range office and return soon. However, he did not. On October 23, Panda’s mother and brother filed a missing report with Sikerkupa police outpost. After failing to trace him, the range officer of Biswanathpur lodged a missing report at Narla police station the next day. The police tried to trace Panda by tracking his mobile phone but it remained switched off.