CUTTACK:More than three months after eggs were thrown at Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda at Mahanga, a special police team arrested six perons for their alleged involvement in the incident on Friday.
They have been identified as Sarat Kumar Jena (42), Sarat Kumar Maharana (32) of Mogulpatna besides, Santanu Mallik (43), Rajesh Sahu (26) of Rahania, Santosh Kumar Jena(26) and Sankarsan Mallik(50) of Raghunath Nagar under Mahanga police limits.
After the incident, which is said to be a fallout of infighting between Panda and Mahanga legislature Pratap Jena, a case was registered in Mahanga police station based on the complaint lodged by a 34-year-old social worker Subhendu Kumar Nayak of Jairampur. Though no names were mentioned, the complaint urged police to take action against the persons responsible for attacking the MP.
Cuttack SP (Rural), Madhab Chandra Sahoo said a special police team led by DSP Surya Kant Ray and Salepur SDPO PK Jena was formed to investigate. After verification of video footage and interrogation of local witnesses, police established identity of the accused persons and arrested them. More arrests in the case are likely and investigation is on, Sahoo added.
As per an order of the Supreme Court, police had served a conditional notice on the accused as punishment in the offence committed by them is less than seven years. However, they did not cooperate with the cops as a result of which, they were arrested, said IIC, Mahanga police station, Subhransu Sekhar Parida.
A group of BJD workers, allegedly supporters of Jena, had opposed and attacked the MP while he was returning after inaugurating a drinking water project at Jatiparilo village under Rahania gram panchayat on May 30.
Taking advantage of the rush, one of them had pelted an egg at Panda which hit his forehead. However, he is yet to be identified and arrested, sources alleged.