Crime Branch takes over probe into forest officer's death in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR:  A month after Gajapati police failed to crack the mysterious death of Paralakhemundi Assistant Conservator of Forest (ACF) Soumya Ranjan Mohapatra (31), DGP Abhay on Saturday, August 14, 2021, ordered a Crime Branch (CB) probe the incident. 

Mohapatra had allegedly poured kerosene and set himself ablaze in his quarters on July 12. He sustained critical burn injuries and succumbed while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Cuttack a day later. Crime Branch ADG Sanjeeb Panda told TNIE that the investigation into the case will be conducted by a team led by a DSP rank officer.  The CB officers will carry out the probe at the ACF’s official quarters in Paralakhemundi. The agency’s officers had earlier assisted Gajapati police in conducting the probe but now have launched a detailed investigation into the case. 

Gajapati police had received the deceased’s postmortem report from SCB MCH, Cuttack last month. It revealed that Soumya had sustained 95 per cent burn injuries. “The police’s initial investigation, basing on examination of the spot and questioning of the persons concerned, suggests Soumya poured kerosene and after one or two minutes set himself ablaze in the drawing-room of his quarters,” said an officer of Gajapati police. 

In an attempt to save her husband, Bidya sustained minor injuries. She then ran towards the verandah of the quarters to collect water from a tap and raised an alarm following which Soumya’s cook arrived from the residence of another ACF nearby. As per the local police, the duo attempted to save the ACF and doused the blaze by throwing water on him following which he was shifted to a hospital.