CUTTACK: With general elections inching closer, a spate of violence over political rivalry has gripped different parts of the district.
The most recent incident being the attack on Harmohan Patnaik, husband of Gadapokhari sarpanch Elina Das in Badamba block, on Monday. Patnaik had reportedly gone to the block office for some work when three men claimed to be belonging to their area, assaulted him in front of the office leaving him grievously injured.
On being informed, police reached the spot and rushed Patnaik to Badamba community health centre from where he was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital. Speaking to mediapersons, Das alleged her husband was attacked at the behest of the ruling political partymen as she belongs to the dissident group. Similarly on Sunday, Pabitra Pradhan, husband of former sarpanch of Madhupur Sumina Pradhan, was critically injured after being brutally attacked by at least six persons at Madhuban village in Baranga reportedly over political feud. Police forces are deployed in the area to check law and order.
In another instance, past political rivalry led to the killing of a 45-year-old man Sushant Kumar Rana where he was reportedly mowed down with a tractor at Khuntuni’s Adala village on February 14. Later, police had arrested three persons in this connection.
A senior police officer said Athagarh, Badamba, Mahanga, Niali and Cuttack Sadar Assembly segments are considered to be the most sensitive areas ahead of general elections. “We have intensified patrolling in these areas,” he said.