Police on Sunday arrested four persons in connection with the murderous attack on BJP State general secretary Ranjan Patel and BJYM State general secretary Irasis Acharya near the Sohela court in the district on Saturday.
The arrestees were identified as Santosh Suna, Jiro Majhi and two of their associates. They were arrested by a police team led by Padmapur SDPO laxmi Narayan Panda which conducted raids at several places in the district.
Two separate cases have been lodged in connection with the incident and an investigation is underway.
The attack took place when the BJP leaders had gone to meet senior party leader Jaya Narayan Mishra. The attackers thrashed Irasis and Ranjan mercilessly with lathis and iron rods while they were standing near a tea stall.
Meanwhile, demanding a judicial inquiry into the attack, activists of the saffron party on Sunday sat on a dharna outside the Bargarh SP office. The activists led by party State vice-president Ashwini Sarangi alleged that the attack was carried on the instructions of labour Minister Sushant Singh.
“The miscreants hired and sent by a BJD leader had intended to kill the two BJP leaders. Therefore, we demand a judicial inquiry into the incident,” stated Sarangi.
Refuting the charges, Minister Singh said, “The BJP wants to come to power in 2019 elections by resorting to hooliganism,” adding that he has already asked police to probe the matter.
Bargarh Additional SP Jashobant Senapati stated, “The arrested persons have no political links. The attack on the two leaders was made near a tea stall outside the Sohela court following an altercation.”