Phulbani: Baliguda police have arrested five persons, including two contract killers, in connection with the murder of RTI activist Abhimanyu Panda in Kandhamal district on December 10.
The accused have been identified as K. Biswajit Patra, S. Balaji Achari, Ras Bihari Das and the two contract killers.
Police have seized a pistol used in the murder and three bullets from the accused. Police said that Patra was the mastermind in the case and had a dispute with the deceased over eviction of the former’s shop at a temple in Baliguda.
“Subsequently Patra and his two associates hired two contract killers to eliminate Panda. The accused had also paid Rs 1 lakh to the contract killers,” said a police official.
Panda was standing in front of his house when two bike-borne miscreants sprayed bullets on him and fled from the spot. Panda was immediately rushed to the Baliguda Hospital where doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.
Ms Kalinga