Jajpur: Former MLA Pranab Balbantray’s vehicle was attacked at Aruha in Odisha’s Dharmashala constituency while he was on his way to attend a local festival on Sunday.
According to sources, some club-wielding youths interscepted and attacked his vehicle in the afternoon. Soon the supporters of the former MLA gathered at the spot, adding to the tension. Police, however, soon reached the spot and dispersed the crowd. A bhujali (sharp weapon) was seized from the spot.
“I was invited to the Hingula Yajna. When I reached there around 1 pm, supporters of the local MLA Himanshu Sahoo attacked my vehicle. They had been plotting to kill me by using goons for the last two days. They had come with bhujali and swords. I had also informed the Jajpur SP about it before leaving Bhubaneswar,” the former MLA told reporters.
He alleged that Manoj Samal and Ratikanta Jena had pre-planned the attack. “The incident took place in the presence of police. Police inaction on my FIRs over attack at my house and my vehicle in the past has emboldened them,” he alleged, adding that law and order in Dharmashala has worsened.
Pranab was elected to the Odisha Assembly from Dharmasala in 2014 and 2019 but lost to Himanshu in 2024 polls. He is the son of Kalpataru Das, a prominent BJD leader.