Itishree Pradhan

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 5: Crime branch police today took the suspended sub-inspector of schools, Netranand Dandasena, who is the prime accused in the Rayagada teacher murder case, on a four-day remand.

A six-member crime branch team, headed by a deputy superintendent of police, went to the district after the government had ordered an inquiry on November 1 after 27-year-old Itishree Pradhan succumbed to burn injuries. Though officials had questioned the accused earlier, they could not elicit much information from him. “Local court has allowed us to bring him to Cuttack for further questioning,” said a crime branch officer.

The team spoke to several people, including the school employees, students in the hostel as well as officials of the local police station and the hospital, where the teacher had been admitted.

A team member said they were trying to find evidences against the arrested accused, as there was no eyewitness to the incident. Besides, the identity and whereabouts of the other accused, who had set the teacher on fire and is absconding, are yet to be established.

Sources said the team that brought Dandasena on remand reached the crime branch’s Cuttack office in the evening. “We are questioning the accused. The investigation is going on,” said additional director-general of the crime branch B.K. Sharma.

The headmaster of Tikiri Upper Primary School, where the deceased was working as a shikhya sahayak, yesterday met the district collector, demanding security for him and his family members. He has sought his transfer from the school.

The headmaster and the accused sub-inspector were at loggerheads over running of the school.

“Since the burning incident, various unknown and suspicious people are seen roaming around my house. I feel unsafe and am worried about my family members,” said headmaster Chandra Sekhar Panda.

In another development, Opposition party leaders have demanded a CBI probe into the incident. Senior Congress leader Nirnajan Patnaik said:

“The way the schoolteacher had been murdered was inhumane and heinous. The accused should be given exemplary punishment and a CBI inquiry will be appropriate,” said Patnaik.

Senior BJP leader Bishwabhusan Harichandan, who had visited the deceased’s village, too, wanted the case being handed over to the central investigating agency.

“Despite the victim approaching all officials who could have given her justice, she was denied it and murdered brutally. The chief minister should resign from his post,” said Harichandan.