BHUBANESWAR: The BJP today demanded an independent enquiry by the Election Commission (EC) into the alleged booth-capturing at Talakusuma under Patkura Assembly constituency and immediate arrest of all those involved in the criminal act.
In its petition to the EC, the party accused senior BJD leader Pyarimohan Mohapatra, MP, as the prime conspirator who masterminded the booth-capturing at Talakusuma and executed through outgoing Rourkela MLA Sharada Nayak.
Alleging that armed BJD goons led by Nayak terrorised the voters inside Booth No. 222 on April 23, the petition said that the anti-socials threatened the voters of dire consequences if they vote for BJP candidate Bijay Mohapatra.
The gang also intimidated the villagers waiting outside the polling station in the presence of the local sub-divisional police officer and inspector-in-charge of Patkuara police station. Bablu Agarwal, son of BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwal and Narayan Swain, a local party leader, were also present, the petition said.
While the police allowed the anti-socials to escape in two of the four vehicles they used, not a single person has been arrested despite the BJP polling agent registering a complaint in the local police station.
Alleging that the district police are playing a partisan role, the petition said that Nayak was detained at Patkura police station and later released on personal release bond. Although the BJD legislator was in the police station for nearly five hours, he preferred to lodge an FIR with Kendrapara police.
‘‘The BJP has every reason to believe that the April 23 incident was pre-planned because Pyari mohan Mohapatra had openly announced at an election meeting at Bandhakata village under the constituency on April 20 that he would not allow the saffron candidate to enter the Assembly till he was alive.’’ Incidentally, Nayak publicly admitted (after he was captured by the villagers) that he visited the booth on the direction of Pyarimohan Mohapatra, the chief poll strategist of the regional party.
The BJP also demanded immediate transfer of the police and civil officers who are witness to the incident as there is every possibility of them tampering with crucial evidence.
It urged the EC to provide adequate Central forces to guard the strongrooms where the EVMs are stored.
