Brahmapur: Khallikote MLA and BJP leader Purna Chandra Sethi was allegedly heckled during a visit to flood-hit areas in Odisha’s Ganjam district on Saturday.
According to preliminary information, the incident took place at Kumari village under Purushottampur NAC in the district around noon.
The situation reportedly escalated into pushing and jostling, forcing security personnel and local officials to intervene and escort the MLA to safety.
The legislator was allegedly confronted and heckled by angry residents when the flood affected villagers were engaged in discharging excess water from a pond in their village after a futile attempt to request the authority to do it.
When MLA reached there, the irate people gheraoed his car and raised slogans like ‘Purna Chandra Murdabad’, ‘ We have not received Flattened Rice and Jagery ‘ ( Amaku Chuda Guda Mililani) and the MLA left the place immediately after irate people heckeled him. However, Sethi suffered no injury, according to reports.
The MLA had visited the area to assess flood damage and review relief operations following the recent heavy rainfall. However, agitated residents surrounded him and expressed resentment over alleged delays in relief assistance and inadequate relief operations.
The incident comes amid continuing public anger over the impact of Cyclone Arnab and subsequent heavy rainfall, which caused flooding and disrupted normal life in several parts of Ganjam district.
Local administrative officials intervened to pacify the residents and oversee relief operations.
