Pipili Bypoll Violence: 3 BJP Workers Injured In 'Attack By BJD Supporters'

Puri: In another instance of pre-poll violence, as many as two BJP workers sustained grievous injuries in an alleged attack by some BJD supporters during campaigning for the forthcoming bypoll in Pipili assembly constituency at Brahmanabada village under Delanga police station on Sunday.

All the injured were initially admitted to Delanga hospital but later two of them were shifted to Bhubaneswar AIIMS. According to reports, the incident occurred when BJD party workers allegedly launched an attack on the saffron party workers while they were campaigning for their candidate Ashrit Pattnayak at Brahmanabada village.

Tension gripped the area following the violence with hundreds of BJP workers staging a dharna by blocking the road near the Delanga police station.

Earlier today, a delegation of BJP MLAs comprising Loisingha MLA Mukesh Mahalinga, Rengali MLA Nauri Nayak, Umarkote MLA Nityananda Gond, Sundargarh MLA Kusum Tete met Chief Electoral Officer to complain about the alleged attack on BJP Mahila Morcha State Secretary Rashmi Rekha Das by some BJD supporters during campaigning in Pipili.

On April 2, a group of BJP workers were also allegedly thrashed by rival BJD workers during campaigning at Raigurupur village.

It is worthwhile to mention here that the Assembly constituency of Pipili which has been lying vacant since the demise of MLA Pradeep Maharathy last year, will go to polls on April 17, 2021.

(Edited by Suryakant Jena)