Odisha: BJP Leader Pitabas Panda Shot Dead in Berhampur; Investigation Underway

BJP leader and senior advocate Pitabas Panda was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside his residence in Odisha’s Berhampur on Monday night, police said. Panda was attacked around 10 p.m. in the town’s Brahma Nagar area.

According to police, two bike-borne miscreants allegedly fired at Panda from close range while he was standing on the roadside, hitting him in the chest. He was immediately rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

Before joining the BJP a year ago, Panda had been associated with the Congress party. During the previous government’s tenure, he was known for raising issues related to alleged irregularities in Berhampur city and Ganjam district.

The attack on Panda has deeply shaken the local political community. The motive for the attack remains unclear, and police have launched a probe to identify and arrest those responsible.

Condemning the brutal murder of Pitabas Panda, Odisha BJP chief Manmohan Samal said, “I am deeply saddened to learn about the shooting and the tragic death of Pitabas Panda, a BJP leader and lawyer from Berhampur… The brutal murder of a respected lawyer and an active party worker is condemnable. The Bharatiya Janata Party family and I personally extend our deepest condolences to the family and relatives of late Pitabas Panda.”

Along with several BJP leaders, State Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena rushed to the medical college and hospital upon hearing about the attack and condemned the incident.