Strict vigil

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 12: Police are still searching for Dipti Ranjan Patnaik, the security guard who is on the run, in connection with yesterday’s murder of a 53-year-old entrepreneur at Sabar Sahi in Rasulgarh.

Dipti, who hails from Niali in Cuttack district, is believed to be the main suspect in the case. Bachan Sudha Pattanayak, who held positions in four companies run by her family, was hacked to death when she was alone at home yesterday afternoon.

The police said raids were being conducted at several places to nab Dipti, who was supposed to be on duty at Pattanayak’s house when the crime occurred.

The police have interrogated four persons, including the owner of the security agency, which had provided two guards for duty at Pattanayak’s residence. The other guard, Purna Chandra Nayak, who had handed over charge to Dipti yesterday afternoon, was also questioned.

The cops have also recovered the weapon of murder from a drain near the house. The police said Pattanayak had been attacked by a knife, which was believed to have been taken from her kitchen.

Pattanayak and her husband had hired guards from the security agency two months ago. “The agency has been operating for more than six years, but Dipti had been working with it only for the past three months,” said a police officer.

“Though preliminary investigation has revealed that murder was committed for loot, the exact cause can be ascertained only after Dipti is nabbed,” said a police officer.

The murder has brought private security agencies operating without licence in the city under cop scanner. Probe has also revealed that the agency, which had provided guards to Pattanayak and her husband, had been operating without a licence.

According to the Odisha Private Security Agencies Rule, 2009, any private security agency operating in Bhubaneswar needs to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the police.

The police provide the NOC after verifying the agency’s antecedents. They also take into account the standard of training provided by the agency to its employees. Sources said more than a dozen private security agencies were operating in the city without licence.

“Some of these agencies are also operating with only four to five employees, who are paid a monthly wage between Rs 4,000 and Rs 6,000. Most of the time the antecedents of their employees are not verified by the agencies,” said a source.