Mahanga Schoolgirl Death: Former BJD Leader Sarat Nayak & School Teacher Arrested

Cuttack: Former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and ex-Mahanga block chairman, Sarat Nayak, was arrested by the police on Tuesday in connection with the mysterious death of a minor girl in Jagatsinghpur. Nayak’s arrest stems from allegations of concealing the body after death, tampering with evidence, and engaging in extortion.

Another individual implicated in the case is Anupam Ray, a Physical Education Teacher (PET) at Gokan High School in Mahanga. Cuttack Rural SP, Mihir Panda, stated that following an inquiry and examination of evidence, both Nayak and Ray were apprehended. They are set to be presented in court.

The police have found that Anupam Ray played a role in creating circumstances that allegedly led the minor girl to take her own life. Ray was arrested on this basis. Sarat Nayak, on the other hand, is accused of attempting to destroy evidence against Ray, having knowledge of his involvement. Nayak also purportedly attempted to extort money from Ray by leveraging the information.

It’s noteworthy that Sarat Nayak also holds the position of President of the Gokan school committee. The incident revolves around the untimely demise of a girl student on June 16, under unclear circumstances. Allegedly, her body was hurriedly disposed of without a post-mortem examination.

The case came to light when an audio recording involving Sarat Nayak, the BJD leader, surfaced. The audio is claimed to capture a conversation between Nayak and the mother of Anupam Ray. This conversation allegedly relates to the minor girl’s association with Ray. Reportedly, the girl took her life after her family discovered the relationship. In the circulated audio, Nayak can be heard stating that the police advised against a post-mortem, leading to the disposal of the girl’s body and the destruction of evidence.