JEYPORE: Senior Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati was reportedly assaulted by a 47-year-old man at Koraput bus stand on Thursday night.
The accused is Krushna Kuldeep, a helper in Koraput town bus stand.
Sources said MLA Bahinipati and Congress legislature party (CLP) leader Ram Chandra Kadam along with party workers took out a Mashal (torch) rally from Gundicha temple to the bus stand in protest against the alleged voter list irregularities on Thursday evening.
After the protest march ended peacefully, Bahinipati along with his supporters went to a stall near the bus stand to have tea. All of a sudden, Kuldeep appeared before the MLA and reportedly started hurling expletives at him. Without any provocation, he allegedly slapped the Congress leader in presence of his supporters.
Bahinipati’s PSO Subrat Sasmal and some of his supporters overpowered Kuldeep while others whisked away the MLA to a safe place. Later, some Congress workers allegedly thrashed the accused. On being informed, police reached the spot and took Kuldeep to SLN medical college and hospital, Koraput to treat his injuries which he had sustained during the beating.
Basing on the complaint of Sasmal, Koraput Town police registered a case against Kuldeep for assaulting the MLA. Kuldeep also filed a counter complaint against Bahinipati and his brothers Tuna Bahinipati and Bhagawan Bahinipati for allegedly hatching a plot to kill him.
IIC of Koraput Town police station Satyananda Patra said two separate cases have been registered in connection with the incident. Investigation is underway to ascertain the motive behind the attack on the MLA.
CLP leader Kadam, who is also the MLA of Pottangi, condemned the attack on Bahinipati. “Police should carry out a proper investigation into the incident and take stringent action against the assailant as per the law,” he added. MLA Bahinipati was not available for comment.