Kendrapara: Unidentified miscreants vandalised a statue of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik at Rajnagar town in Kendrapara district, triggering tension in the area.
The statue set up at Biju Smruti Sadan was found decapitated around 6.30 pm on Tuesday. Following this, irate locals blocked the Pattamundai-Rajnagar road by burning tyres at Trinath Bazar.
Vehicular movement came to a grinding halt for an hour due to the blockade. Later, police reached the spot and assured the protesters of action against the miscreants. The locals then withdrew their blockade.
Alekha Kumar Jena, former BJD MLA and head of Biju Smruti Sansad, had unveiled the statue April 16, 2017. Jena later left BJD and contested the Rajnagar Assembly seat in the last election with a BJP ticket.
