ANGUL: A day before the commencement of Panchayat elections in Odisha, a presiding officer reportedly died of cardiac arrest at his village Kumursingha under Kishore Nagar police limits early on Tuesday morning.
A teacher in Rajamunda project primary school in Kishore Nagar block Subhendu Kumar Naik (50) was assigned as the presiding officer of the booth in Banarpal block for the first phase rural polls on February 16.
He was also to be deployed as the presiding officer at another booth in the Kaniha block on February 18.
He complained of chest pain at his home as he was getting ready to go to Banarpal block for reporting. He was immediately rushed to Kishore Nagar hospital where doctors declared him dead.
His body has been sent for post-mortem. The actual cause of death can be ascertained only after the autopsy.
Confirming the death, Athamallik Sub Collector Lalit Kumar Behera said, "The presiding officer died at his home and was brought to Kishore Nagar hospital dead. We are waiting for the postmortem report to come to the conclusion about his death."
Meanwhile, Banarpal block authorities have been asked to depute another person in place of Naik to conduct the election on Wednesday, he added.