A senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Pitabhas Panda, was shot dead in Odisha’s Ganjam district. Panda, a lawyer who had previously been with the Congress party, was attacked by two bike-borne assailants near his residence last night. He was taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where he was declared dead. While police have started an investigation, the motive behind the murder remains unclear. The incident has brought the state’s law and order situation into focus. A correspondent noted, “for the past few months, the law and order situation in Odisha has deteriorated and you know, various reports of and various incidents of rape and gang rape happened in Odisha.” The report highlights concerns over violence in the state.