Dhenkal: Police on Saturday arrested a youth on charges of murderous attack on a Sarapanch in a quarantine centre in Odisha’s Dhenkal district late last night.
The arrested person has been identified as Bulubara Sahu of Kandatiri village under Rasol police limits in the district. Efforts are on to nab the others involved in the attack, police said.
According to reports, as many as 23 migrants, who had returned from Tamil Nadu, have been staying at a panchayat level quarantine centre at Khandatiri Govt UP School under Giridhar Prasad panchayt in Hindol block.
Sahu and three others barged into the quarantine centre and attacked Giridhar Prasad Sarpanch, Srikanta Behera demanding not to house the migrants from other areas at the quarantine centre in their village.
The accused also attacked the migrants housed in the quarantine centre.
The Sarapanch, who sustained severe injury and was rushed to a nearby hospital, lodged a complaint with Rasol police station following which Sahu was arrested.
Notably, Sarapanchs have been given the “Collector’s power” by the State government for COVID-19 management. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called sarpanchs as front warriors in the battle against COVID-19 and announced that family of a sarpanch will receive Rs 50 lakh assistance if he/she dies due to an infection from the deadly virus.
Ms Kalinga