Police revealed a conspiracy by former MLA Bikram Kumar Panda and ex-mayor Siva Shankar Dash to eliminate senior advocate Pitabash Panda. They saw Panda as a threat to their political comeback plans. The murder was allegedly linked to an election petition and past rivalries. Several arrests have been made in connection with the crime.
source https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/election-stakes-mayors-post-motives-behind-advocates-murder-police/articleshow/124746113.cms
source https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhubaneswar/election-stakes-mayors-post-motives-behind-advocates-murder-police/articleshow/124746113.cms