UMERKOTE/KENDRAPARA: Nabarangpur police registered a case against BJD’s zilla parishad (ZP) candidate of Nandahandi block for allegedly firing at a BJP worker’s house in Dahana village on Sunday night. Police sources said BJD’s ZP member candidate Arun Kumar Mishra and five of his associates knocked on the door of BJP worker Aswini Das at around 1.30 pm in the night.
When Aswini’s son Alok came out, the accused threatened him at gunpoint and asked him to call his father. Fearing for his life, Alok ran inside following which the accused fired two blank shots at the house. Alok later lodged a complaint with Tentulikhunti police in this regard.
Based on the complaint, a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Papadahandi Aditya Sen, Tentulikhunti IIC Umesh Chandra Nayak, and his Nabarangpur counterpart Tariq Ahmed rushed to the spot. Police also raided Arun’s house and recovered two bullets, as many machetes, and a firing tin.
IIC Nayak said a case has been registered against the accused under sections 341, 294, 452, 307, 506 and 34 of IPC and 25/27 of Arms Act. Police have arrested three persons - Sandip Bisoi of Biriguda village, Narahari Harijan of Dohona, and Prafulla Bag of Bhanjaguda - and produced them in court. Three other accused are absconding.
On the other hand, the accused ZP member candidate in a video denied his involvement in the firing incident. In Kendrapara, two persons including a sarpanch candidate were arrested on Monday for allegedly assaulting a police officer in Rajnagar block.
The arrested duo was identified as Krushna Chandra Behera, the saapanch candidate of Dera gram panchayat and Panchanana Rout. They had reportedly assaulted police officer Somyaranjan Panigrahi at booth-3 in Rajnagar’s Gokhani village on Sunday.
Rajnagar IIC Tapan Kumar Nayak said other accused involved in the attack have fled their villages. “We are raiding their hideouts and they will be nabbed soon.” On the day, BJP workers gheraoed Rajnagar police station protesting the arrest of Behera. The agitators alleged that police are working at the behest of ruling party leaders. In another incident of poll-related violence, police arrested five persons for assaulting villagers of Bangalapur in Patkura.
Attack on scribes and BDO: 14 arrested
Jajpur: Eleven persons including six women were arrested on Monday for their alleged involvement in attacking journalists in Bachhol panchayat under Binjharpur block. Jajpur SP Rahul PR said investigation is underway to identify other accused involved in the attack on journalists.
They will be arrested soon. The arrested persons were produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Sources said the prime accused are yet to be nabbed. On Sunday, around 40 miscreants had attacked three video journalists who were filming booth rigging during the third phase panchayat polls in Bachhol.
In another development, Panikoili police arrested three persons in connection with the attack on Korei block development officer (BDO) Ranjan Kumar Parida. The BDO had gone to the polling booths at Soti village under Goleipur panchayat when he was assaulted.