Kendrapara: Tension prevailed at Angulai Chowk here Thursday as the son of a liquor shop owner and his associates assaulted the sarpanch of Angulai and her husband when the latter protested against the opening of a licensed liquor shop.
The shop was closed by the district administration and police after the public staged a fast unto death in front of the shop demanding its closure.
When news about the attack spread in the locality, people gathered in front of the liquor shop and attacked the owner’s son and one of his associates and injured them seriously. The mob went berserk and ransacked the liquor shop besides torching two motorcycles.
Four persons, including the sarpanch’s husband and the liquor shop owner’s son, were injured in the clash.
Sarpanch Durgabati Pradhan said Thursday morning they found that the foreign liquor shop was open although the administration had closed it down for eight days starting Thursday.
However, shop owner Manmath Sahu’s son Sarada Prasanna Sahu opened the shop Thursday morning defying the administration’s order. So the sarpanch and her husband, Madhabananda Patra, went to the shop and demanded its closure. But, the owner, his son and their associates attacked her and her husband with a weapon. As a result, her husband suffered a critical head inquiry.
The angry locals, including women, gathered in front of the shop and ransacked it. They also beat up Sarada and his associates.
Sarada, who was injured seriously in the mob attack, remained unconscious for an hour inside the shop and the mob did not allow ambulance personnel to rescue him.
Sadar police led by IIC Kabuli Barik rescued Sarada and his associate and sent them to the district headquarters hospital.
Sarada was later rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack while Madhabananda was admitted to the local hospital.
Demanding removal of the liquor shop from the locality, the mob later started a protest in front of the shop. The Sadar police later locked up the liquor shop.
Hundreds of women, led by Durgabati, staged a blockade on Angulai-Orata Road demanding that the Collector and SP should come to the spot and seal the shop.
The sarpanch gave a complaint to the IIC of Sadar police station demanding the arrest of those who were involved in attacking her and her husband.
ASP Aruna Jena held talks with the protesters to make them withdraw their blockade. But the agitators said unless the Collector and SP reach the spot and assure them that the liquor shop would be removed from the locality they would not relent. The blockade was going on when last reports came in.
PNN
