KalingaTV News Network
Bargarh: In a pre-poll violence, Odisha Labour Minister Susant Singh’s brother Subrat Singh and three of his aides were critically hurt after some unidentified miscreants attacked their vehicle near Banabira village under Sohela block in Bargarh district last night.
The incident took place at around 1 AM while Subrat was returning from Bijepur by-poll campaign which concluded yesterday. A group of armed men intercepted their Maruti Suzuki Vitara Breeza (Registration No. OD 17 L 9590) vehicle near Banabira and hurled stones at it. After Subrat and three others, including the driver, tried to escape from the spot the attackers thrashed them brutally with sticks and then fired several rounds of bullet targeting the vehicle. The miscreants fled from the spot after the attack.
Subrat and his driver Dileshwar Sahoo were rushed to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) in a critical condition by Bargarh Police. They had sustained critical head injury.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP and BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb has alleged BJP’s hand in the attack and claimed that the saffron party wants the Bijepur by-poll to be cancelled in fear of defeat. Claiming that around 25-30 rounds of bullet have been fired at Subrat’s vehicle, he condemned the violence which has no place in democracy.
However, BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma has rubbished BJD’s allegation by insisting that his party never believed in violence. Sharma said it is a conspiracy of BJD to tarnish the image of his party in fear of losing the Bijepur battle. Alleging that BJD has hand in the attack he demanded at probe into the matter.
Speaking in unison with Sharma, Ashwini Sarangi, Vice-President, Odisha BJP said all four who have been attacked have criminal antecedents. He stated tender-fixing and past rivalry as the prime reasons behind the attack.
Police have detained three persons in connection with the attack and started investigation into the incident.
Ms Kalinga