The Opposition BJP, Congress and Left parties stepped up their demand for the resignation of Minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra was his alleged links with murder accused Govinda Sahu in the Mamita Meher murder case in Kalahandi district.

Over the last five days, the Opposition parties have launched a sustained campaign and it spread to different districts of the state.

BJP women activists stormed the Capital Police Station at Bhubaneswar yesterday demanding that their FIR against the Minister be registered. He should be arrested and brought under the purview of investigation, they said.

Elsewhere in the state, BJP, Congress and Left party activists staged protests and also lodged similar police complaints against the Minister.

It may be recalled that Mamita, a teacher of a private school in the Kalahandi district of which Sahu is the president, had gone missing on 8 October.

Eleven days after, her body was unearthed from an under-construction stadium near the educational institution.

Sahu, who had been detained by Bolangir police and had managed to escape, was arrested two days ago. He is said to have confessed to his crime during interrogation by the police and he was taken to the crime spot in Kalahandi.

Minister Mishra was a frequent visitor to the educational complex built and run by Sahu. He is alleged to have close links with the accused who managed to get funds from the government.

The Opposition BJP has been alleging that it is a case of the notorious sexual escapades that were taking place and Mamita was eliminated as she had threatened to expose Sahu and others.

The ruling BJD has rubbished all such accusations and denounced the Opposition for politicizing the matter.

Law will take its own course and the guilty will be punished, said the BJD.

But the ruling party has failed to explain how and why a private school and college was receiving funds from the Western Odisha Development Council and how government funds were used to construct roads, boundary walls etc.

Youth Congress activists hurled eggs at the Minister’s residence in the Kalahandi district. Ten activists were detained by the police.