Activists of BJP OBC Morcha met State Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan today, pressing for a fresh and impartial probe to unravel the mystery behind the death of Panchayat Executive Officer Smitarani Biswal in Jajpur district in 2019.

The group, comprising Rakesh Nayak, Manas Ranjan Nayak, Kulamani Nayak, and Nilamani Das, presented a memorandum to the Law Minister at his residence.

The Law Minister has informed on social media that the government will take the appropriate decision.

Smitarani Biswal, the then PEO of Haridaspur Gram Panchayat, was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a private guest house on October 16, 2019. The guest house, owned by Rupesh Bhadra, the spouse of the then-local Sarpanch, was later razed shortly after Smitarani’s demise.

Allegations of rape and murder at the guest house were made by Smitarani’s husband following her death. The BJP, then the primary opposition in Odisha, had brought the matter to the Assembly, demanding a fair investigation. In contrast, the ruling BJD government cited the autopsy report, which suggested that Smitarani took her own life.