BERHAMPUR: A BJD leader of Phiringia block in Kandhamal district was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly faking his own abduction to ‘gain the sympathy of the public’.
The ruling party leader is the vice-chairperson of Phiringia block Ajit Kumar Sahu. Apart from Ajit, five of his associates were also arrested for helping the BJD leader stage his own kidnapping. Police have seized three vehicles from their possession.
Phiringia IIC Tapan Kumar Nahak said Ajit reportedly went missing from Jajespanga ghat on June 2 night. His associates Biranchi Mallick and Basanta Mallick lodged an FIR in Phiringia police station alleging that the BJD leader was kidnapped by unidentified miscreants.
In the complaint, the duo said they were accompanying Ajit in a car. At Jajespanga ghat, the trio got down from the vehicle to answer nature’s call. When Biranchi and Basanta returned, they could not find Ajit in the car. They searched the nearby area but could not trace him. Suspecting that the BJD leader was kidnapped, they lodged an FIR with the police.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case and started an investigation. In the meantime, Ajit went to Sudra village in Baliguda and locked himself in a house for two days. On Monday night, he came out and reportedly told the local villagers that he was kidnapped by Maoists and escaped from their clutches with much difficulty.
As the news spread, police reached Sudra village and brought Ajit for questioning. The IIC said during interrogation, Ajit admitted that he had staged his own kidnapping. He reportedly told police that he had enacted the abduction drama to get people’s sympathy.
Based on his statements, police arrested the BJD leader. His associates Biranchi, Basanta, Ajit Rana, Trilochan Jhankar and Jukteswar Rana were also arrested for helping him in the fake abduction plot. On the other hand, Ajit said he had no intention of putting the administration in trouble. “I simply wanted to gauge the sympathy of people towards me.” On the day, all the six arrested persons were produced in court.