BERHAMPUR: Tension grips two villages under Khallikote police limits in Ganjam district as unidentified miscreants threatened the family members of a ward member of Totagaon and also resorted to blank firing, and vandalism ahead of elections.
Narayan Barik, the ward member and owner of a grocery shop, faced the wrath of around six miscreants who arrived in a car at approximately 9 pm. With Barik absent, his family bore the brunt of the attack.
Later they reached the nearby village Nuafasula where they beat up Kanha, Barik’s younger brother, injuring him seriously while he was attempting to defend the family’s four-wheeler parked nearby.
The miscreants indulged in vandalism for over two hours till some villagers reached the spot. The miscreants fired two rounds of bullets in the air to disperse the crowd and drove away. The incident has raised concern among locals who have urged the administration and police to initiate necessary protection measures.
Khallikote police have launched an investigation into the incident. According to sources, Kanha had revealed to the police that an unidentified person had threatened Narayana over phone a day earlier.
Khallikote Assembly seat under Aska Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha will go for elections on May 20.