Berhampur: Tension gripped Berhampur on Monday evening after BJP leader and senior advocate Pitabas Panda was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside his residence in Brahmanagar.

According to reports, two attackers opened fire at Panda and fled the scene immediately. Locals rushed him to MKCG Medical College and Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Panda, a respected lawyer and member of the Odisha State Bar Council, was a prominent figure in the legal fraternity. He had previously been associated with the Congress before joining the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections. His brutal killing has sparked widespread outrage and grief among lawyers, political circles, and the public.

Condemning the murder, Advocate Gyana Ranjan Mohanty, Chairman of the All Odisha Lawyers Association, described the act as “not just the killing of an individual, but a direct assault on the justice system and rule of law.” He appealed to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Odisha, the Home Secretary, DGP Odisha, DIG Southern Range, and SP Ganjam to act swiftly and ensure the immediate arrest of all culprits involved.

As a mark of protest and solidarity with Panda, Mohanty urged all lawyers across Odisha to abstain from court work on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. He emphasized that this statewide abstention sends a strong message that attacks on legal professionals will not be tolerated.

Police have launched an investigation, examining CCTV footage from the area, and a special team has been formed to trace and apprehend the attackers.