Election violence in Ganjam villages

--One killed, five injured in different violence

BRAHMAPUR: Regarding election matter, violence took place in three different places including bombarding at Santoshpur under Ganjam block, scuffle at Pitatali village under Chikiti block and murder of newly elected Sarpanch’s son at Dihapadhal village under Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam district on Thursday. One was killed and five were injured in connection with the violence.

Election violence took a toll in Bhanjanagar block of Ganjam district on Thursday morning, when the opposition party people chopped Lulu Gauda, son of a winning independent Sarapanch candidate Pramila Gauda, in a public place in a broad day light due to emergence of violence regarding the polling results. He was rushed to the Bhanjanagar hospital and later referred to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital here. On the way to the medical, Lulu breathed his last.

Consequently supporters of the independent candidate have burnt houses, rice mill and vehicles of the accused and blocked the road connecting Brahmapur-Bhanjanagar and Brahmapur-Phulbani later. After arriving at Bhanjanagar, the Superintendent of Police of Brahmapur Safeen Ahmad has started investigation into the matter. Situations became quite better after the main accused and mastermind of the murder Kulu Bhuyan arrested along with his associates.

While, the second incident happened in Santoshpur under Ganjam block on Thursday, where three persons were injured after bombarding on eight houses and the injured persons rushed to the Chatrapur Sub-divisional hospital. Political animosity is the reason behind the incident, the police informed.

Similarly, another incident happened at Pitatali village under Golanthara police station, where two persons Prabhakar Reddy and K Damburu Reddy were beaten up by their opposition party people regarding election matter. Bombing was also taken place at the village, but none injured in the incident.       

On the day of third-phase polling for the PRI poll on Wednesday, bomb blasts and looting of polling boxes took place at many places emerged an unhealthy situation for the elections. Two persons were also injured by the attacks of culprits who have thrown the polling boxes in the well after looting it from three polling booths of Kudutai village under Jagarnnathprasad block in the district.

Similarly three have been injured in bomb blasts at Turumu panchayat when conflicts rose between two communities after the end of the polling process. As polling is not possible in some booths of Kudutai village re-polling will take place at those places.