On the eve of the second phase of Lok Sabha and assembly polls, the mutilated body of a BJP worker was found in the Agajhola village in Bhanjanagar, Ganjam. The BJP worker, a 26-year-old man named Santosh Pati was allegedly found dead in a pool of blood, according to local reports.
As per reports, locals in the village discovered Santosh’s body and alerted the police. The police have since then sent the body for post-mortem at the Bhanjanagar hospital.
BJP leader Baijayant Panda has tweeted to request the ECI to take cognisance of the situation in Odisha and arrange for extra forces.
And again… 3rd BJP-related person killed in Odisha this week!
This is the new Odisha. Urgent need for ECI to step in, take strict action on state administration, arrange for extra forces at booths ??? https://t.co/hpUzYue6V0
— Chowkidar Baijayant Jay Panda (@PandaJay) April 18, 2019
Tension prevailed in the locality and police forces have been reportedly deployed to handle any untoward situation as many areas of the state go to polls today.
The deceased person, Santhosh Kumar Pati reportedly hailed from the Lathipada panchayat. A scuffle had broken out among workers of two parties last night over tearing posters of their respective parties. News reports state that Pati was allegedly attacked with iron rods and left to die.
Prabhat Kumar Sahu, IIC of Saroda police station has stated that investigations are underway and police teams have been deployed to ensure smooth polling process in the area.
Incidents of political violence have been reported in Odisha in the past week. Earlier this week, a BJP Mandal president in Khurda town was shot dead by unknown assailants near the party office while the MLA candidate had a narrow escape.
It is notable here that a week ago, the nephew of the BJP MLA candidate in the same Bhanjanagar area was attacked by violent miscreants and had sustained critical injuries. Ajit Pradhan, the nephew of BJP MLA candidate Pradyumna Nayak was violently attacked after a public meeting of union minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Nayak had alleged that a local sarpanch named Tutu Pradhan had orchestrated the attack.
