Tension prevailed at Lingipur under the Dhauli police station here on Friday after supporters of a BJD member, Rabi Patra, staged a road blockade protesting attack on their leader.
The incident took place during a demonstration by BJD members in the area as part of the BJD’s State-wide stir against the rising fuel prices on the day.
Patra alleged that during the protest, members of a rival group called him to a corner and suddenly opened a couple of rounds of fire at him. However, he managed to escape unhurt.
Patra told the police that he was targeted over past enmity.
Following the incident, Patra’s supporters blocked the Bhubaneswar-Puri road demanding immediate arrest of the accused. The blockade led to disruption of vehicular traffic for some time.
Getting information, the zone ACP and the Dhauli and the Lingaraj police stations IICs rushed to the spot and pacified the crowd, following which the road blockade was withdrawn.
Police said some empty cartridges were recovered from the spot and the situation was under control. An investigation was on into the incident.