The Samiti member candidate for Zone-I of Nuagaon panchayat under Hindol block of Dhenkanal district has reportedly gone missing since Wednesday evening. An allegation in this regard has been brought by the family member of the aspiring candidate.
The candidate has been identified as Subrat Behera of Nuagaon village under Kantabania Police Station in the district.
As per the family members, Behera had gone to print pushing cards, to be used in the campaigning, to a shop near Jhadabandha along the National Highway No-57 under Balimi Police Station yesterday afternoon. But he did not return home.
When his family members found Behera’s mobile phone switched off and he did not return till evening, they launched a frantic search but failed to trace him. Subsequently, they lodged an FIR at the Kantabania Police Station.
Based on the complaint, a team of Kantabania and Hindol Police started an investigation and traced Behera’s motorbike and slippers on the roadside near Jhadabandha.
Dhenkanal Superintendent of Police (SP) and Sub-Divisional Police Office (SDPO) have also rushed the spot and monitoring the investigation.
On the other hand, Maoist posters have appeared in the Swabhiman Anchal under Chitrakonda block of Malkangiri district demanding the candidates and people of the region to keep themselves away from the panchayat polls.
The posters pasted by the CPI (Maoist) Visakha-East Division Committee urged the candidates to withdraw their nomination papers. The rebels threatened that if the candidates fail to do, they will be punished in praja court.
The posters were found in Jantapai, Jodamba and Jantria areas of the district, said reports.
(Edited By Rashmi Ranjan Mohanty)