Bhubaneswar, June 18: Police today arrested Saila Ranasingh, 43, the mastermind behind the attack on the personnel of Lakshmisagar police station at Haladipadia slum on June 8, from Soro in Balasore district.

The cops also arrested Saila's daughter, Puja Ranasingh, 23, her son Jitu alias Tutu Ranasingh, 25, and son-in-law Karana Pujapanda, 30, apart from a minor girl, from the same place.

On June 8, police officials, including the inspector in-charge of Lakshmisagar police station and a sub-inspector, were assaulted by a mob in the slum when the cops went there to rescue a youth, who had been detained by the residents for having eloped with a girl of the area.

The slum dwellers had kept one Santosh Jena, a 25-year-old married man, who had allegedly eloped with one of his distant relatives, hostage. When the police reached the slum, the 30-strong mob, mostly women wielding sticks and bricks, attacked them.

The police said Saila, along with her family members, had fled to Soro and were staying there in a rented house.

"They were staying in a rented accommodation, identifying themselves as members of a melody troupe working in jatra (folk theatre). They had been moving between Balasore and Bhadrak districts during this period," said police commissioner R.P. Sharma.

The commissioner said that as many as 10 cases had been pending against Saila in Lakshmisagar police station, while there were five cases against her daughter Pinky and four against Tutu in the same police station.

The police said Saila, a native of Ranapur in Nayagarh district, had been living in the slum for the past 12 years and was involved in a series of criminal cases, including attempt to murder and threatening the slum dwellers.

"She and her family members used to flaunt their power and threaten other slum dwellers. They are also patronising the drug peddlers in the slum," said a police official.

Contractor killed

A 35-year-old contractor was allegedly shot dead by his rivals near a construction site behind the AIIMS Hospital in Patrapada under Khandagiri police station today.

Police suspect that Dillip Naik was shot following a dispute over the contract for the construction of a private housing project. Two persons have been detained by the police in this connection.

Family members of the deceased alleged involvement of another contractor, Rajendra Barik in the incident.

Sources said the builder had initially awarded the project to Barik, who later stopped the work due to issues related to bill payment. Therefore, the project was then awarded to one Sambhu under whom Naik was working.

Relatives of the deceased said Barik had called Naik to the construction site this morning for reconciliation.

"My brother left the house saying that he was going to meet Barik at the construction site. Later, we came to know about his death. We suspect the involvement of Barik in the murder," alleged Sanjay Naik, brother of the deceased.

The police said around 25 supporters of Barik were present at the site when Naik reached there. " Both of them had a heated argument and Barik's group started assaulting Naik whose helps fled from the spot. Then the rival group opened fire on Naik," said a police official.

While the first bullet missed Naik, another fired from point blank range hit him in the chest killing him on the spot, a cop said. Cops have also seized two empty cartridges from the spot.

Tension prevailed in the village, as the houses of both Naik and Barik are located in the same neighbourhood.

Deputy commissioner of police, Satyabrata Bhoi said they have detained two persons and were trying to nab Barik.