Nayagarh: Three persons including a sarpanch and a samiti member candidate were arrested Wednesday night by Chandpur police for allegedly distributing liquor and cash to woo local voters and obtain mandates in their favour for the second phase of rural polls.
A source said that the undemocratic incidents were reported from Mayurjhalia panchayat under Ranpur block of Nayagarh district.
The arrested persons have been identified as sarpanch candidate Sushant Kumar Kalash, samiti member candidate Manmanth Tripathy and ward member candidate’s husband Nanda Moharana.
According to the source, some locals detained the three persons as they were caught red-handed while distributing cash and liquor among voters at Mayurjhalia village. Later, the villagers handed them over to Chandpur police for legal action and the police have seized 10 litres of foreign liquor and two motorcycles from their possession.
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“Three persons were standing near entrance of Mayurjhalia village to prevent any outsiders from entering into it and distributing liquor and cash to voters of the village,” many residents have alleged.
When some residents chased them away from the village, they threw a huge amount of cash and tried to flee from the spot. However, the locals overpowered them and handed over to Chandpur police.
“Police have seized two motorcycles and liquor from possession of the three persons. The trio has been arrested and an investigation has been initiated which is still underway,” a senior official said.
In another incident Wednesday night, some residents of Astarang locality in Puri district stopped a foreign liquor-laden tractor with more than 60 cartoons worth over Rs 3 lakh and detained two persons.
Astarang police reached the spot Thursday morning and seized the loaded tractor after being informed about it by some villagers.
The liquor was allegedly being transported to a panchayat in Astarang to be distributed among voters ahead of second phase of polling.
It is pertinent to mention here that the second phase of polling to Panchayati Raj institutions in Odisha will be held February 18.
PNN
