Tokyo 2022 Olympic bronze medal-winning India men’s hockey defender Birendra Lakra is facing the heat almost four months after the alleged murder of a flatmate in Bhubaneswar, Anand Toppo. (More Hockey News)
The seemingly mysterious death has come to light once again after Bandan Toppo, the father of Anand Toppo, accused the police of hushing up the case.
Birendra Lakra, who recently captained the Indian hockey team in the Asia Cup 2022, is a Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Odisha Police.
Bandan Toppo has accused Birendra Lakra and a girl Manjit Tete of killing his son. Anand died on February 28 in the same Bhubaneswar flat where Birendra and Manjit also lived.
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Lakra could not be reached for his comments. The veteran Indian hockey star is expected to brief the media on Tuesday.
Anand’s body was found hanging in the flat and when rushed to the hospital, doctors declared him brought dead. Bandan alleged that he is suspecting both Birendra and Manjit’s involvement in the death of his 28-year-old son.
“I was told that Manjeet was in the bathroom and Birendra was in the drawing room, when my son took the extreme step. The girl first saw Anand hanging and brought him down. This story and the circumstances in which my son was found dead raise serious doubts,” Bandan has been quoted as saying.
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“My repeated efforts to seek a detailed investigation by the Commissioner and DCP of Bhubaneswar were turned down. It seems the police are trying to hush up the case by giving it a colour of unnatural death case as Birendra (Lakra) is a Deputy SP and a big name in hockey,” Toppo senior added.
Birendra Lakra, who was a part of the Indian men’s hockey team that won bronze defeating Germany in the playoffs at the Tokyo Olympics last year, joined as Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Odisha Police in February earlier this year.
Lakra had announced his retirement from hockey after India’s Tokyo 2022 campaign but returned to action in the Asia Cup in May in Jakarta. India won the bronze.
