JAJPUR: An anganwadi worker sustained critical injuries after being attacked by a 30-year-old man in a fallout of one-sided love affair in Choramuhan village within Dharmasala police limits here on Tuesday.
The victim was identified as Tilotama Behera, anganwadi worker of Choramuhan. She suffered grievous head injuries in the attack and has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. The accused, Rakesh Das of the same village, is absconding.
Sources said Rakesh had developed one-sided love with Tilotama who is married and has two children. The woman reportedly rejected his love proposal a couple of months back. When the accused approached her again, she lodged an FIR with police basing on which he was arrested last month.
After his release from jail recently, Rakesh nursed a grudge against the anganwadi worker. On the day, he allegedly attacked Tilotama with a bamboo pole when she was entering the anganwadi centre on Choramuhan panchayat office premises.
Tilotama was rescued by locals and rushed to Dharmasala community health centre. She was later shifted to SCB after her condition deteriorated. Sources said her condition is stable. “The accused fled the village after committing the crime. A manhunt has been launched to nab the accused,” said a police official.