Ahead of the polling in the district on Monday, Sushanta Panda, BJD president of Mangalpur gram panchayat, was allegedly attacked on Sunday night by local BJP Sarpanch along with his 15 to 20 associates.

He reportedly encountered the attack when he was returning home after attending a patient at the hospital.

Following the  incident, enraged  supporters of the victim staged a road blockade near Salabani demanding stern action against the accused persons. However, the road blockage was called off after the intervention of police.

“My brother was returning home after visiting medical condition of one Harekrushna Das, who was admitted at the District Headquarters Hospital. At about 12.30 am on Sunday night, 15 to 20 persons in inebriated condition headed by BJP sarpanch Umakanta

Panda attacked him near our home at Patna Raipur,” Pramod Panda, elder brother of Susanta said.

Sushanta was rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital where he is undergoing treatment now.

Meanwhile, on Monday in Bhograi constituency, a woman leader of BJD  allegedly beat a polling officer in the booth. The incident occurred in Hoogly panchayat following altercations between the duo. Although the polling process was halted after the incident, it continued following polling officials' intervention.

In yet another case, a woman poll official was hospitalised after she fell sick reportedly due to sunstroke during polling  here in the district. The sick  official identified as Sagarika Nayak was admitted to the Community Health Centre (CHC) in Soro. She was engaged as the presiding officer at booth number 50 in Bahanaga.

It may be noted    earlier on Saturday  a poll officer died after reaching his designated polling station under Nilagiri Assembly segment.

He was identified as Purna Chandra Panda and he , died at a booth in Ajodhya village under Nilagiri police station limits. Although  the cause of death is yet to be ascertained, yet it is believed  that he died of sunstroke.