One Ramesh Chandra Rout, Panchayat Samiti member of Singiri under Aul block, was assaulted and injured by Sarada Mallick near Raisarpur on Thursday.
According to the victim, a night cricket tournament was going on in the locality some days back. Mallick asked him to be the chief guest and provide a donation of Rs10,000 for the tournament to which he had agreed. But on the final day of the tournament, Mallick denied him to come to the tournament venue as the Aul MlA and local sarpanch, who too had been invited to the tournament as guests, agreed to attend the closing ceremony of the tournament provided Rout did not come.
But after the completion of tournament, Mallick asked Rout to pay Rs10,000 but was refused. On Thursday, while Rout was going to Aul, he was attacked by Mallick from behind with a stone. Rout soon lodged an FIR at Aul police station and subsequently was rushed to the district headquarters hospital for treatment.
Police sources informed a case was registered against the accused. SDPO Ram Chandra Gauda stated that five cases earlier were pending against Rout and hence the police were not relying on Rout’s statement.
Now a question arises: If Rout was involved earlier in several cases, then why the police had not arrested him. Police also could have arrested him while he was going to lodge an FIR. When contacted, Kendrapada SP Sarthak Sarangi stated that he would look into the matter.