Mystery shrouds over killing of DIG in orissa

Bhubaneswar, Oct 24 (UNI) Mystery shrouded over the killing of South Western Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Jaswinder Singh at Badakutinga in Naxalite infested Rayagada district.

The DIG, who was on his way from Sunabeda to Padampur to address a press conference on the arrest and surrender of Naxalites, was killed ofter a bullet hit his head yesterday. He was immediately taken to the Rayagada hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

Initially, the local police had said the incident it as a handiwork of the suspected Naxalites and jumped into a conclusion that it was a planned attack.

The state Home Secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra and Director General of Police Amarananda Pattnaik have not ruled out the possible involvement of the leftwing ultras in the killing of Mr Singh.

However, no Naxalite outfits has so far claimed responsiblilitye for the killing. The police have now started interrogating two security personnel who accompanied the DIG and the driver as none of them were injured in the shoot out.

Police say it was accidental firing by the security personnel which led to the instant death of the DIG. But senior police officials are tightlipped to comment on the outcome of the detailed interrogation of the two security personnel in Rayagada.

MORE UNI DP BA AK RN1144