BHUBANESWAR, AUG 29: The Orissa police helplessly look around as Dara Singh alias Rabindra Kumar Pal, the brain behind the killing of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his two sons in Manoharpur village of Keonjhar district, continues to be on the prowl.That Dara has been roaming freely right under the nose of the police ever since the Staines were burnt to death has been admitted by police when it attributed the murder of Sheikh Rehman to him.On Thursday, a group of 15 to 20 armed tribals led by Dara Singh, allegedly attacked the youth at Padiabeda village in Keonjhar, torched his shop and pushed him into the flames.The latest admission of the top brass of the state police negates their assertion that Dara was in perpetual fear of increased surveillance in Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Different wings of the police blame each other. The intelligence wing of the police is being held responsible for Rehman's murder. ``We are always made the scapegoats,'' fumed a senior official of theintelligence wing of the state police. According to him, it was the failure on the part of the district police of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.A report prepared by the local intelligence officials clearly stated that Dara had been visiting villages bordering the tribal-dominated districts of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj for the last one month and terrorising traders, he said. The report said Dara and two of his associates, Chema Ho and Saroj Mahanta, were active in Puranapani, Kendukuani and Khendabandha villages in Mayurbhanj.The report was submitted to Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar police, the official said, adding, the special squad formed by Mayurbhanj police should have been more active and remained alert.``Why do you sum it up as a failure of the police,'' asked a senior police official. He, however, admitted that hundreds of raids conducted to nab Dara Singh in the last seven months have been in vain. ``We don't know when Dara will come into our hands,'' the official said.While the Bharatiya Janata Partyhas demanded President's rule in the State alleging breakdown in law and order, the Left and other non-Congress parties have given a call for Orissa bandh on September 1 protesting against growing attacks on minorities.Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik has demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Girdhar Gamang for his government's failure to maintain law and order.Orissa Govt hikes rewardBHUBANESWAR: The total reward money on Dara Singh, the prime accused in the murder of Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and a Muslim trader in the state, now stood at Rs eight lakh with the Orissa government announcing a Rs two lakh hike in the reward today, official sources said.Orissa government increased the reward money for any information leading to the arrest of Rabindra Kumar Pal alias Dara Singh, from Rs one lakh to Rs three lakh, the sources said. The central government had already announced a reward of Rupees five lakh on Dara.
