Mamita Meher murder case: College principal among two held for influencing witnesses

BALANGIR: Kantabanji police on Thursday arrested the principal of Mahaling College and a management committee member on the charges of influencing witnesses in the sensational Mamita Meher murder case.

The accused were identified as principal Ranjit Sahu and member of the college management committee Kruti Chandan. A resident of Talachera village, Kruti works as a teacher in Karlapada government primary school.

Sources said police first detained the duo for allegedly influencing key witnesses in the murder case of lady teacher Mamita. They were later arrested and produced in court. Mamita, a resident of Jharni village in Balangir’s Turekela block, was working as a teacher in Sunshine English Medium School at Mahaling in Kalahandi district. The 24-year-old teacher went missing on October 8, 2021.

Alleging involvement of the school’s managing committee president Gobinda Sahu in her disappearance, Mamita’s family members lodged a complaint with police. On October 19, charred remains of Mamita’s body were exhumed from the construction site of a stadium near the school. 

After investigation, police arrested Gobinda for abducting and murdering Mamita with help of his driver Radhe. As the murder sparked massive public outrage across the state, the opposition political parties attacked the BJD government alleging links of the then minister of state for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra with prime accused Gobinda.