KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, April 15: More than 48 hours had passed since marathon boy Budhia Singh's former coach Biranchi Das was shot dead in cold blood in the city. But Orissa police was still struggling to nab gangster Raja Acharya, prime accused in the murder.

It is learnt that the police in the twin-city of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack had not been able to trace the gangster due to the latter's alleged links with some officials in the police setup itself.

“We are also suspecting that some police officials could be having links with the prime suspect in the case. If any police official is found having any links with the gangster, we will treat him as a criminal,” Police Commissioner of the twin-city Binay Behera told presspersons on Tuesday.

While public criticism against the police was growing, no breakthrough in the murder had also come as a cause of worry for Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who also holds the home portfolio.

Patnaik had recently come under pressure in the wake of the sexual harassment scandal involving former State Assembly Speaker Maheswar Mohanty, suspended lady marshal of the Assembly Gayatri Panda and former Information and Public Relations Minister Debasis Nayak.

But before he could free himself of the Opposition charge of alleged police inaction in the Gayatri Panda case, the killing of Biranchi Das on Sunday evening and inability of the police to solve the case till Tuesday had landed him up in a tight spot.

Patnaik termed the coach's murder an unfortunate incident and said the police were trying to nab the suspects.

“We are trying our best to see that crime is curtailed and law and order prevails here,” Patnaik told reporters.

Gangster Acharya has been named as accused in the murder on the basis of a complaint filed by the victim's wife.

However, the police were yet to find out as to what was the exact motive behind the killing – whether the interference of the victim in the controversy involving the gangster and an Oriya video album artiste, or an illegal scrap deal.

Meanwhile, State Director General of Police Gopal Chandra Nanda held a high level meeting of top police officials in Cuttack to review the law and order situation in the twin-city.

The meeting reviewed the investigation in the sensational murder and the line of investigation. They also decided to take series of decisions to check crime in the twin-city.