KENDRAPARA: Tension erupted in Pattamundai after a clash broke out between supporters of the BJD and BJP in the local block office on Friday.
BJD supporters alleged that the party’s panchayat body members were not invited by the Pattamundai block development officer (BDO) to a government function on Thursday. In protest, many BJD workers locked the main gate of the block office on Friday and launched an indefinite hunger strike.
However, a large group of BJP supporters reportedly reached the spot to protest the locking of the block office. The clash reportedly erupted after the BJP workers unlocked the block office gate. As tension flared up in the area, police rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.
BJD leader and Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Sahoo alleged that criminal activities were on the rise in the district, and the ruling BJP was patronising unscrupulous elements and forcing police not to take any action against them.
“The spurt in crime has panicked residents. People of the district are living in constant fear as incidents of crimes has suddenly shot up after BJP came to power in the state,” he alleged.
On the other hand, senior BJP leader and former chairperson of Kendrapara Zilla Parishad Gitanjali Sethi accused local BJD leaders of trying to halt government programmes meant for development of the people.
Later in the day, Pattamundai BDO Sheetal Agrawala lodged a complaint with police alleging that some miscreants damaged a tent erected for a government programme in the block office. They also allegedly locked the main gate of the block office.
Pattamundai IIC Manas Mallick said acting on the complaint, police have launched an investigation. All the accused involved in the case will be arrested soon. “Security has been tightened in the block office and its nearby areas. Police personnel have been deployed to check any untoward incident,” he added.