Odisha: Prime accused in sensational lady teacher murder case dies by ‘suicide,’ Opposition cries foul

DGP orders crime branch inquiry; Congress demands judicial probe

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 21: Gobinda Sahu, the prime accused in the high-profile lady teacher Mamita Meher murder case, reportedly died by suicide on Tuesday.

According to sources, Sahu ended his life inside Kantabanji jail in Bolangir district by hanging himself with a towel at around 9.30 am.

He was immediately rushed to a hospital where the doctor declared him brought dead.

Sahu was close associate of Odisha’s senior BJD leader and former home minister Dibya Shankar Mishra. He was scheduled to appear before JMFC court on Tuesday in connection with the lady teacher murder case.

Sahu had recently moved the High Court of Orissa seeking bail, but his plea was rejected.

Gobinda Sahu’s wife Sushma on Tuesday filed a police complaint with the local police alleging that her husband was murdered by some influential persons and demanded an impartial probe into the case.

“My husband was strong-minded person. He called me up yesterday at 11 am and sounded completely normal. I strongly believe his death was a planned murder. How can a person commit suicide in the jail? I want a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into my husband’s death,” said Sushma.

Questions are now being raised about the security arrangements inside the jail after the only arrested accused in the sensational murder case ended his life.

The prisons department of Odisha ordered a DIG-level probe.

In the evening, Sambalpur Prisons Range DIG Anasuya Jena visited the jail to find out under what circumstances Sahu committed suicide.

Odisha Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Kumar Bansal ordered a Crime Branch probe into the matter.

Mamita Meher, a resident of Jharni village under Turekela block of Bolangir district, who worked as a teacher at Sunshine English Medium School in Mahaling of Kalahandi district, went missing on October 8, 2021.  Prime accused Govind Sahu was the managing committee president of the educational institution.

Her decomposed body was exhumed from an under-construction stadium at Mahaling in Kalahandi district on October 19.

Sahu allegedly murdered Mamita, chopped off her body, and set it on fire before burying it under the ground. He also torched her bag, and mobile phone to wipe out evidences.

Following the murder of the lady teacher, the Opposition had demanded the resignation of the then Odisha home minister Dibyashankar Mishra for his alleged involvement in the case.

“Previously, Prafulla Dhal, the prime accused in Mahanga murder case, was found killed in a road accident. Now, the prime accused in Mamita Meher murder case has met with a suspected death. We want to an High Court-monitored probe into the incident,” said Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Patnaik.

BJP leader Basant Panda said, “It appears to be a planned murder. We want a CBI probe into this case.”

Dibya Shankar would allegedly visit the Sunshine English Medium School hostel and spend nights their among some girl students. It is alleged that Mamita had video clips with regard to the minister’s night stays in the school hostel and she threatened to disclose them to the public for which she was murdered.