BERHAMPUR: The Crime Branch wing of the Odisha police will now investigate the shocking suicide of the former manager of Gopinath Gajapati Narayan Dev, scion of the erstwhile royal family of Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district, and her three siblings, a police source said. Anangmanjari Patra, her brother Sanjay Patra and sister Bijaylaxmi Patra were found dead inside their locked house in Paralakhemundi on Sunday afternoon. Another brother Santosh Patra was found in an unconscious condition and admitted to the MKCG Suicide notes Three suicide notes and a diary have been recovered by the police from the house. They have been sent for forensic tests. Anangmanjari’s family blamed local politicians and a section of the media for the suicides. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) will lead a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe today. Mr. Dev himself is now undergoing treatment in Chennai, where he was moved following reports that Anangmanjari and Sanjay were holding him under house arrest. They were also accused of misappropriating the property of the erstwhile royal family. Mr. Dev’s daughter Kalyani Gajapati and his brother Jagannath Gajapati Narayan Dev had written to the Gajapati district administration and the Odisha Chief Minister demanding an enquiry into the transactions related to their family assets in the past three decades. The local people of Paralakhemundi on 14 August staged a demonstration demanding treatment for the king after they found him in extremely serious condition. The treatment of Mr Dev has been taken care by the Odisha government and he has now been moved Chennai for further treatment, a source said. Anangmanjari and Sanjay resigned from the posts of manager and personal assistant to Mr. Dev after a public outcry.]]>
