Odisha lady teacher Mamita Meher's murder was pre-planned, says DIG 

BHUBANESWAR: A day after the arrest of Gobinda Sahu, the prime accused in the murder of a 24-year-old lady teacher Mamita Meher in Kalahandi district, Odisha Police on Wednesday revealed that her killing was pre-planned by him.

Family members of Mamita -- who was a teacher of Sunshine English Medium School that was set up by Gobinda -- had alleged that she mysteriously disappeared after accompanying Gobinda in his car to Bhawanipatna on October 8. He is also the school's managing committee president.

In a press conference on Wednesday, DIG (northern range) Deepak Kumar said Balangir Police visited Kalahandi district and examined the CCTV footage in various places to ascertain the movement of the victim and the prime accused.

"Statements, material, scientific and technical evidence along with the confession of Gobinda Sahu reveal that it was a pre-planned murder and that he killed Mamita either by smothering or strangulating her inside his car on October 8 while they were returning from Bhawanipatna to Kegaon," said the DIG.

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The victim had come to know about an extra-marital affair of Gobinda and she had threatened to expose him for which he held a grudge against her. "After killing her, the accused carried the body in his car and disposed of it in the pit in Mahaling Stadium on October 8 night. He set the victim's body on fire using cardboard and tyres, and got the pit covered in the next morning," said Deepak. The driver of the prime accused has been detained by Balangir Police and his involvement in the crime is being examined.

Gobinda was produced in a court in Gandamunda later in the day and the court allowed police to take the accused on a five-day remand. "Complete reconstruction of the crime sequence will be carried out. This case is being closely monitored by senior officers, its chargesheet will be filed soon and trial would be conducted in a fast track court," said the DIG.

Mamita went missing on October 8. A resident of Jharni village in Balangir's Turekela block, Mamita was allegedly called by Gobinda to come to the school for some official work. She was asked to come to Chandotara in the Balangir district from where she would be given a lift in the school president's car.

Mamita reportedly reached Chandotara by bus but went missing thereafter and her mobile phone was switched off. Unable to trace Mamita, family members lodged missing complaints with Kegaon police in Kalahandi and Turekela police.

Another complaint was lodged in Sindhekela police station. Based on the complaints, Balangir police launched an investigation and had earlier seized Gobinda's car.