Bhadrak: Police on Friday arrested five persons in connection with the alleged attack on Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)’s Odisha unit president Abhilash Panda in Chandabali Assembly segment in Odisha’s Bhadrak district, the previous evening.
The arrests were made on the basis on a complaint lodged by BJP against eight BJD workers. The incident had taken place near Khapuria Chhak under Bainsada police station limits when Panda was campaigning with other supporters for party candidate and state BJP chief Manmohan Samal.
Following the incident, more than 200 BJP workers staged a dharna on Bhadrak-Dhamra road, demanding immediate action against the accused BJD workers.
A BJP delegation also submitted a memorandum with Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), urging action against BJD for the violent attacks on saffron party workers.
On the other hand, BJD Chandbali unit has filed a counter complaint against 11 BJP workers, alleging that more than 25 youths arrived in Kanranjimala panchaya with iron rods and hockey sticks in five vehicles and attacked its workers when opposed.
In view of the pre-poll violence, police have clamped Section 144 in Bhadrak district till the end of polling on June 1.
