BERHAMPUR: A spurt in pre-poll violence in the last five days has put the Ganjam police on its toes. At least 15 persons have been injured in clashes during filing of nominations for the three-tier panchayat elections in the district.
Police have arrested over a dozen of persons, reported to be workers of the BJD and BJP, for their involvement in poll-related violence at Dharakote, Jarada, K Nuagaon, Hinjili, Gopalpur and Digapahandi. Ganjam is the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who also holds the portfolio of Home department.
Political violence is not new to Ganjam. In the last panchayat elections in 2017, four persons were killed and over a 100 sustained injuries in poll-related clashes. Among those killed in 2017 was Bulu Pradhan, the sarpanch candidate of Bramhanachai panchayat in Seragada block who was murdered in cold blood.
Besides, several incidents of ransacking of polling booths and explosions were also reported in the district. The administration had to go for repolling in 11 booths at Sanakhemundi, Patrapur and Chhatrapur.
After five years, the situation has hardly changed. To avoid recurrence of political violence during the rural polls this year, the district police issued notices under sections 107 and 110 of the CrPC to a whopping over 10,000 mischief mongers across the jurisdiction of 23 police stations. However, it failed to give the desired result.
On January 18, the first pre-poll clash took place at Mundamarai in Dharakote block which resulted in critical injuries to three persons. The reason behind the violence was said to be a dispute over candidature and both the warring groups were reportedly supporters of the ruling BJD.
Another clash took place for similar reason between BJD supporters of Choudhurytikarpada and Goudagaon in which four persons were injured.
In Khambarigaon under Patrapur block, two persons sustained injuries in a similar clash. In Chikiti, three persons were injured in a pre-poll violence.
The last two clashes were reported from Darubhadra panchayat in Hinjili and Karapali within Gopalpur police limits over snatching of nomination papers of candidates.
IG (Southern range) Satyabrata Bhoi said instructions have been issued to the SPs of Ganjam and Berhampur to identify violence-prone areas and keep a watch on mischief-mongers and if necessary, take action against them.
“We are in the process of identifying vulnerable pockets for appropriate measures. A number of arrests have been made in connection with the recent poll violence in some areas. No leniency will be shown towards those taking law into their hands,” Bhoi said.
There are 24,43,616 voters in Ganjam who will elect 7,099 ward members, 503 sarpanchs and samiti members by exercising their franchise in 7,099 polling centres.
