Staines, sons shot dead before the burning: Accused

The youth confessed that Dara was planning to murder Staines on January 21 but abandoned the mission as he could muster up only ten of his associates. The next day about 50 of Singh’s associates assembled near the Jamadwar hill on bicycles, entered Manoharpur village on foot and after committing the crime used the cycles to escape.

Meanwhile, one Satya Soren of Rimitibeda village, a co-accused in the case, attempted to commit suicide by cutting his throat on February 22. Soren, who was picked up by the crime branch police for interrogation at the Manoharpur camp, was admitted to the Karanjia sub-divisional hospital and is reported to be out of danger.

The interesting story connected to Soren, reveals Keonjhar superintendent of Police A K Ray, is that he was aware of Dara’s plan and was on his way to the Manoharpur village to inform his relatives, but got drunk on the way and dropped asleep. When Soren regained his senses the deed was done.

The SP admitted that Dara had the residents of the area under a grip of fear threatening them with dire consequences if anybody squealed on his underground activities to the police.

Dara Singh, meanwhile, is still absconding. The police record in keeping track on his movements is abysmal. A section of the police and locals claim that the prime accused is in the forest and is being hidden well by his supporters in the region.

But the SP believes that he has escaped to either Uttar Pradesh or Delhi, especially after the police intensified operations against him and took in many of his aides. “Since the last seven days we do not have any information on Dara’s movement in the area though earlier we were getting a regular feedback,” Ray said.

“We have deputed police teams to UP and Delhi to keep a track on his relatives,” he added.

But plagued by lack of adequate manpower and infrastructure, the Keonjhar police seem to be at the receiving end. Besides performing routine office work, maintaining law and order and attending the VIPs and political leaders, very little time is left to the district police for investigating the Manoharpur incident.

Meanwhile, the Commission chaired by the Supreme Court justice D P Wadhwa, which is inquiring into the incident, will visit Manoharpur on Saturday to start the probe.

Bajrang Dal was involved

The police investigation and enquiry report of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), northern range have revealed the involvement of associates of Bajrang Dal in the ghastly incident.

Principal Secretary in the Home Department Sanjeeb Chandra Hota told The Indian Express that the RDC submitted his enquiry report on February 8 and it has been accepted by the State Government. He, however, declined to reveal the contents outlined in the report.

Failure of the district administration in containing Dara Singh’s activities has also been reflected in the report.