KEONJHAR/BHUBANESWAR: BJP MLA from Keonjhar and Opposition chief whip in the assembly Mohan Majhi escaped unhurt after unidentified miscreants hurled crude bombs at his car on Sunday.
The incident took place at Mandua in the outskirts of the Keonjhar town around 11.50 am while he was returning after attending a public meeting. Two motorcycle-borne miscreants hurled two bombs on the vehicle of Majhi, who was returning after attending a public meeting.
BJP activists alleged that the attack was carried out by local BJD youth leaders and blocked traffic on National Highway -49 at Gandhi Chhak of the Keonjhar demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.
The MLA’s car has been partly damaged in the incident. A complaint in connection has been lodged at Keonjhar town police station.
Majhi said that he was returning after attending the meeting when the miscreants overtook his car and hurled bombs. He said that the youths hurled a bomb at his car and fled on the bike before returning with a second bomb. Majhi further said that though the driver of his car chased the miscreants to some distance, they managed to escape from the spot.
The Opposition chief whip said, “My personal security officer tried to chase the miscreants but they fled towards railway station. Though we chased them, we could not nab them as the road was narrow.” The MLA’s Personal Security Officer (PSO) Bidyadhar Mahanta told mediapersons that they were about to reach the main road when they saw the two youths standing near a bike.
“Later, one of them hurled a bomb. Though I tried to chase them, they escaped from the spot,” he said.
There was also an attack bid on Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Niranjan Patnaik on January 17, 2021, near Kashipur under the Town Police station.