Balasore: Two brothers of jatra artist Bapi Panda were grievously injured after being attacked by unidentified miscreants during Maha Shivratri celebration in Odisha’s Balasore district.
As per information, the incident took place in front of a Shiva temple at Nathapani Chhaka of Balasore when Maha Shivratri celebration was going on inside the shrine on Wednesday night.
The injured have been identified as Bapu Panda and Babi Panda, both brothers of jatra artist Bapi Panda.
Sources said the miscreants entered into an argument with the two brothers over some issue. The situation soon took an ugly turn when the miscreants attacked the two brothers with sharp weapons, causing them critical injuries.
While the attackers fled the scene immediately after the incident, locals rescued the injured and rushed them to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) for treatment. However, Babi Panda was later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack as his condition deteriorated.
On being informed, a team from Balasore Town Police Station visited the spot and initiated an investigation into the incident. The DSP also visited the site.
While the exact reason behind the incident is yet to be ascertained, past enmity was suspected to have led to the attack. Efforts are on to trace and apprehend the attackers, police said.
