Balangir: Investigations into the parcel bomb blast case that claimed two lives at Patnagarh here took a new turn on Monday with the crime branch now treating it as a case of professional rivalry.

The crime branch, which took over the case following orders from chief minister Naveen Patnaik, shifted its focus to Jyoti Bikash College at Bhainsa where the deceased groom's mother, Sanjukta Sahu, is the principal.

Members of the crime branch's special investigation team on Monday interrogated staff members of Jyoti Bikash College. Sanjukta was also called to the college. The cops seized a laptop and documents.

On Sunday, the cops arrested five persons, including Punjilal Meher, lecturer in English and former principal of Jyoti Bikash College. The other arrested are Shiba Prasad Sa, lecturer in Odia at National College in Nuapada, Chandramani Meher, a contractor in Nuapada district, and Umesh Matari of Patnagarh. The fifth person, Raj Kumar Das, was released on Monday.

Sanjukta said Punjilal was unhappy when she became principal of the college and claimed that he was harassing her with the help of other staff members.

"There used to be filthy things written about me on the college walls. This all happened after I became the principal," she said.

Sources said Punjilal, who is junior to Sanjukta, was replaced as principal when she was transferred to the college six months ago.

"The crime branch has got vital leads in the case and the mystery will be unveiled shortly,"Odisha director-general of police R.P. Sharma told newspersons in Bhubaneswar.

The cops picked up three more persons, including the owner of Sky King Courier at Patnagarh, the delivery boy and Bhairasuta Bindhani of Nuapada, on Monday.

On February 23, newlywed Soumya Sekhar Sahu and his grandmother Jemamani died when they set off a gift-wrapped parcel bomb. Soumya Sekhar's wife Reema Rani suffered severe injuries and was admitted in the plastic surgery ward of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. She was released a few days ago.