Kakatpur BJP MLA candidate manhandled, attacked by rival group

Puri: Pre-poll violence continued to mar Odisha elections 2019 with BJP candidate for Kakatpur Assembly constituency, Rabi Mallick being latest victim. Mallick was allegedly detained and attacked by supporters of his rival party. The incident occurred when he had gone to Srirampur village for some election-related work on Thursday night.

As per reports, Mallick along with his supporters had gone to Srirampur village at around 10.30 pm yesterday night to talk with other party workers in the village when around 15-20 BJD workers allegedly opposed them.

Soon after, the assailants started manhandling Mallick and his supporters and attacked them. Mallick was also detained inside a house in the village.

However, Mallick and his supporters were rescued two hours after the Kakatpur police reached the spot after getting information, reports added.

“I had gone to the village to talk with party workers over some issues when some miscreants abused and attacked me. They also damaged my vehicle and also attacked my colleagues who had accompanied me,” alleged Mallick.

“I was attacked by BJD workers in the village and this is a poll related attack,” he added.

Later, Kakatpur police started investigation into the incident after Mallick lodged a complaint in connection with the incident.

Earlier on April 21, bombs were hurled at the vehicle of BJP MLA candidate from Bhubaneswar-Central Jagannath Pradhan near BJP party office in Delta colony of Bhubaneswar. However, Pradhan escaped unhurt in the attack. He later alleged that the attack was orchestrated as per direction of his rival BJD candidate Ananta Narayan Jena.