Commissionerate Police Gives Clean Chit To Birendra Lakra In Anand Toppo Murder Case

Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Friday gave a clean chit to international hockey player Birendra Lakra in the death case of his friend Anand Toppo.

According to reports, family members of the deceased had accused Birendra of murdering Anand at a house in the Infocity area of Bhubaneswar.

A communiqué issued by the Commissionerate Police on Friday read, “On completion of investigation of Infocity P.S Case No 336/2022, the final form has been submitted in the Orissa High Court today i.e. on dated 24.02.2023 and the case has been ended as Mistake of Fact Under Section 302/34 IPC vide Infocity P.S FF No FF No 78, dated 23.2.2023.”

Soon after 28-year-old Anand Toppo was found hanging, he was rushed to the Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, where he was brought dead. While the police initially registered a case of unnatural death U.D.), his father Bandhan Toppo alleged foul play and urged the High Court to order the state Crime Branch to probe the case.

“When the enquiry of the U.D. case is in progress Bandhan Toppo filed a written report on which Infocity P.S case No 336, dated 24.11.2022, U/s 302/34 IPC was registered and investigated into. The allegation was the death of his son Ananda Toppo is a planned murder, not suicide,” the release added.

“During the investigation of this case, investigating officer Arpita Priyadarshini examined relevant witnesses, and informants and examined all circumstantial evidence. The post-mortem report from AIIMS, the Viscera Chemical Report of SFSL and quarry report from M.O. and the scientific officer’s report were received. Based on the available evidence and medical-legal reports, it is clear that the cause of the death of Anand Toppo is suicidal hanging and there is no suspicion of any foul play,” the Commissionerate Police stated.

According to the Commissionerate Police, the injuries found on the neck of the deceased could be antemortem and suicidal in nature. However, the victim had consumed alcohol and barbiturate before his death and the cause of the death was anti-mortem hanging and its complication. Hence the doubt of forcible administration of alcohol and drugs is not possible in this case, the release added.

Interestingly, Birendra Lakra, a DSP in Odisha Police and a friend of Anand Toppo, was accused by the deceased’s father in the case, has been given a clean chit by the Commissionerate Police.