Berhampur: In a horrific incident, a BJD worker was hacked to death while another was left battling for life over a previous enmity related to three-tier panchayat polls at Raigaon village under Kukudakhandi block in Ganjam district Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Ashok Jena, brother of Sanyasi Jena, BJD president of Kukudakhandi block. The injured was Ashok’s friend Srinibas Swain.
The incident occurred while the two were returning home through Nuasahi. Meanwhile, at least 25 persons including women of the village attacked the two with sharp edged weapons and hacked them.
The two were rescued and admitted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. After preliminary treatment, Ashok was shifted to Vishakhapatnam for further treatment as his condition worsened. However, he died while undergoing treatment Saturday morning.
The body was sent for post-mortem and handed over to family members. Police registered a case of murder based on a complaint by Sanyasi and launched a manhunt to nab the accused.
Sadar SDPO Ashok Mohanty and Sadar police IIC Siba Shankar Mahapatra along with a police team reached the spot and saw the village deserted. Preliminary police investigation revealed that the murder was the fallout of a political rivalry. Five including a woman were detained in this connection.
Police registered cases against 44 persons including women and Congress party activists of the village, sources said adding that the interrogation of detainees was on. Tension continued to prevail in the village with Ashok’s family members and supporters demanding immediate arrest of the accused.
Purna Jena, younger brother of Ashok, was also attacked over irregularities in sanction of houses under ‘Indira Awas Yojana’. Since then, the miscreants threatened Ashok and his family members to withdraw the case that was lodged by Purna over the attack. The locals in a pre-planned manner attacked Ashok and Srinibas after they did not withdraw the case, police suspected.
Meanwhile, police waited for Srinibas’s statements while he was battling for life in the hospital. Necessary steps will be taken based on the statement of Srinibas, police said. PNN