BJD leader arrested

Koraput: A leader of the ruling BJD was arrested for allegedly abusing a police officer in Koraput district, police said on Wednesday.

The arrested BJD leader, identified as Bhabani Panda, is the Vice-chairman of Jeypore Panchayat Samiti. Panda reached the official quarters of SDPO (Jeypore) Mitrabhanu Mohapatra in the wee hours on Monday allegedly in an inebriated condition and abused the police officer, police said.

"Shortly after I returned home after night patrol duty, Panda came to my residence and started misbehaving with me. He threatened me with dire consequences if I dared to take any action against him. He was drunk. The police patrol vehicle reached the spot and arrested him," said Mohapatra.

Earlier on Sunday, the SDPO had arrested Panda along with six others following a raid on a gambling den in the town and seized Rs 68,000. "Panda had got a bail in the gambling case," the SDPO said.

Panda's comment was not available.