May 16th 2024.
In the village of Sri Krushna Saranapur in Odisha's Ganjam district, a tragic clash between supporters of the ruling BJD party and the BJP party led to the death of one BJP worker and injuries to seven others. The incident occurred on Wednesday night as both sides were putting up posters for their respective candidates in the upcoming elections. The deceased, Dilip Kumar Pahana, was a resident of the village and passed away while receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
According to initial investigations, the clash was sparked by a dispute over the placement of campaign posters and quickly turned violent as both sides began to use sharp weapons. The injured individuals were taken to a state-run hospital where they are currently in stable condition. In response to the incident, angry BJP workers reportedly vandalized vehicles near the house of BJD candidate and sitting MLA Suryamani Baidya and blocked roads near the police station. They also demanded the arrest of the MLA and her husband Daitary Behera.
Expressing his condolences, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the violence and stated that such incidents have no place in a democratic society. He also urged the police to take swift and strong action against those responsible for the heinous crime. BJP president J P Nadda, who was in Bhubaneswar for a roadshow, also expressed concern over the clash and emphasized the need to prevent such incidents from happening.
The BJD candidate Baidya is seeking re-election from the Khallikote assembly seat, while the BJP has nominated Purna Chandra Sethi, a former MLA, for the constituency. The village falls under the Aska parliamentary constituency where simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha polls will be held on May 20. In response to the incident, state Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal expressed concern and directed the district collector and the superintendent of police to restore peace and prevent any further acts of violence.
To maintain peace, a large police presence has been deployed in the village. We hope that measures will be taken to prevent any future incidents of this nature and that the upcoming elections will be conducted in a peaceful and fair manner.
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