Bhubaneswar: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from different places during elections to urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State.
A BJP supporter was stabbed in front of booth-16 in Ward no. 9 of Dhamnagar NAC.
While going to cast his vote one Ramesh Lenka (28) of Bazaar Sahi had a spat with workers of another party.
Angered over the incident, a youth from the rival party stabbed Ramesh in the stomach.
While the attacker managed to flee the spot immediately, people rescued a profusely bleeding Ramesh and rushed him to the district headquarters hospital at Bhadrak. He has been admitted and his condition is stated to be critical.
Following the incident, tension prevailed in Dhamnagar. Police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused. For the first time elections are being held for Dhamnagar NAC.
Similarly, in Patnagarh in Balangir district BJP workers thrashed local MLA Saroj Meher’s brother Pradip for allegedly distributing money to voters in Ward nos 1,2 and 3 of Patnagarh NAC.
BJP workers caught Pradip while he was distributing money to voters.
Interestingly, the MLA who was present at the spot did not move out of his vehicle to rescue his brother from the hands of BJP workers. However, Pradip was rescued by party workers.
No complaint in this connection has been filed with the police.
In another incident in Balangir district, two persons were injured in a scuffle between Congress and BJD workers at three booths of Ward nos. 14 and 15 in Jhankiripada of Kantabanji NAC.
A polling agent of the BJP in booth no. 9 of Ward no. 7 was injured in an attack allegedly by workers of the opposite party. The polling agent has sustained injuries on his head and has been admitted to the Government Hospital at Pipili.
