WOMAN PALA SINGER BRUTALLY KILLED IN KEONJHAR

Keonjhar: A woman Pala singer was brutally killed near her residence at Binida village under the Pandapada police limits in Keonjhar district on Sunday night. Pala singer Satyabhama Singh, a former Samiti Member of Binida gram panchayat, was also BJP vice-president of Pandapada circle. The 45-year-old singer was reportedly crushed to death with a stone by some miscreants after 10 pm. On receiving information, the Sadar SDPO along with a scientific team and Pandapada police reached the incident site for investigation.

NABA DAS’ MOTHER PASSES AWAY

Sambalpur: Slain Minister Naba Kisore Das’ mother Bishnupriya Das (89) passed away at her Modipada residence here on Sunday. Born in Bhatpura village near Kuchinda, Bishnupriya married Nrushingha Charan Das, who is a nonagenarian now. She is survived by three sons and a daughter who are well settled in life. Her son-in-law Anand Chandra Jena is a former Chairman of the nSambalpur Municipality and granddaughter Dipali is sitting MLA of Jharsuguda.

EDUCATIONIST KABITA PATTNAIK PASSES AWAY 

Brahmapur: Former Principal of the SB Rath Government Women’s College here Prof Kabita Pattnaik (68) passed away on Sunday at her Hyderabad residence. At her death bed, her husband Prof Lakshmikanta Pattnaik, a former Principal of Khallikote College, son and daughter-in-law were present. Prof Kabita Pattnaik was staying at her Hyderabad residence since last few years ill since last few years. Several persons, including former Professor and senior scribe KC Panda, said, “Her death is a great loss to the academic fraternity.”

GAJAPATI DIST WINS SCOTCH AWARD

Paralakhemundi: Gajapati district has bagged the Scotch Award for increasing attendance in schools and reducing the dropout rate. Gajapati Collector Lingaraj Panda collected the award at the Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on Monday from the chairman of Scotch Group. As an innovative initiative on the part of the district administration, under the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe Department, a programme was started in 50 schools in the district to increase the attendance of the students through the library program and to eliminate the students’ dropout rate. More than 10,000 students have benefited by making the library better and more accessible to more students in these schools.

GAJAPATI FARMER KILLED IN LIGHTNING

Paralakhemundi: A person was killed in lightning strike at Ariba village in Kontagarh panchayat under Gosani block of Gajapati district on Monday afternoon.  The deceased was identified as B Paparao (55) of Ariba. Paparao had gone to collect straw to the farmland when lightning struck him. He died on the spot. The locals said Paparao was a poor farmer and his family is totally dependent on his earnings. Some Government assistance should provided to his family members, the Sarpanch and locals demanded.