A day before the Bijepur by-poll, unidentified miscreants attacked labour Minister Susanta Singh’s brother and three of his associates at Banabira village under Sohela block of Bargarh district late on Thursday night, leaving them grievously injured.
All the injured were initially rushed to the Community Health Centre at Sohela and later shifted to the VIMSAR at Burla as their conditions deteriorated. VIMSAR Director Ashwini Kumar Pujahari said no victim had gunshot injuries, making it clear that the assailants’ bullets missed their targets.
Police arrested three persons over their alleged involvement in the attack and seized a live bullet from the spot.
According to reports, Subrat Singh, the Minister’s brother, and three others, Kartik Nag, Magi Shah and Khageswar Mahamallik, were intercepted by around 20 persons while they were travelling by a car.
The miscreants then attacked and opened fire at them before fleeing the spot. They also damaged the car by smashing its windshields with bricks. The Bargarh police, in a prompt action, arrested three persons identified as Jayaprakash Agrawal, Basudev Nayak and Digvijay Singh for their alleged involvement in the attack. The cops also seized 20 live cartridges from the spot.
“No one involved in the attack will be spared,” Bargarh SP JN Pankaj said. Police has become successful in identifying the miscreants, he added.
IG of Police Susant Nath said that accused Basudev Nayak was the BJP Zilla Parishad candidate in the last election.
The attack was fallout of rivalry between two political groups. While three persons have been arrested, two police teams have been formed to nab the others involved in the incident,” said Bargarh Additional SP Jashobanta Senapati.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik denounced the attack, saying, “Violence has no place in a democracy. The people of Odisha are peace-loving. I strongly condemn the cowardly act that took place yesterday night.” BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb alleged.