Rs 50 Lakh Contract Killing: Berhampur SP Unravels Deep Political Conspiracy in Pitabas Panda Murder
Berhampur, Odisha — In a chilling revelation, Berhampur SP Shravan Vivek has exposed a Rs 50 lakh murder-for-hire plot behind the assassination of Pitabas Panda, shedding light on a nexus of political rivalry and criminal collusion.
Shooter Chintu Pradhan, who arrived from Bengaluru, rented a house just 200 meters from Panda’s residence. After a failed attempt, he and accomplice, Kurupati Bhuyan, executed the murder on October 6.
Dressed in new clothes, the duo approached Panda on a bike, greeted him, and opened fire. They later changed clothes in Sitalapalli and fled through Purushottampur to Rameswaram, eventually escaping to Puri.
The conspiracy was hatched between September 10 and 14. Anti-social figure Uma Bishoyi brought four shooters from Bihar, hosted by Shunya Chandra Das, under the arrangement of corporator Malay Bishoyi. Malay claimed the shooters were in town for medical reasons.
Only Das suspected foul play but remained silent due to Malay’s influence.
The shooter received Rs 10 lakh in advance. The remaining funds were allegedly held by Uma Bishoyi. Key conspirators include Bikram Panda and Pintu Das, who reportedly orchestrated the plot through Malay Bishoyi and Madan Dalei.
Notably, Pintu Das has 38 criminal cases registered against him.
Police have arrested 12 individuals so far, with three suspects still at large. Investigators believe the motive stemmed from political rivalry and financial disputes.
The case marks a turning point in Odisha’s criminal-political landscape, with authorities continuing to pursue leads to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy.
