Senior advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pitabash Panda was shot dead by unidentified assailants near his residence in Berhampur, Odisha, on Monday night. The shocking incident occurred in the Brahma Nagar area, throwing the local community and legal fraternity into grief.
According to police reports, two men on a motorcycle approached Panda and opened fire at close range while he was standing by the roadside. He was immediately taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.
Panda, who also served as a member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was earlier associated with the Congress before joining the BJP. The exact motive behind the fatal attack remains unclear, and police have launched an investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.
Odisha&rsquo;s Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, along with several BJP leaders, visited the hospital and strongly condemned the killing, calling it a grave act of violence that demands swift justice. Security in the area has been tightened as inquiries continue.

Senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda killed near his Berhampur home

BJP Leader Pitabash Panda Shot Dead in Odisha

Senior advocate and BJP leader Pitabash Panda killed near his Berhampur home

October 7, 2025 | 09:27 IST