The Kendrapada district administration on Saturday clamped prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC in whole of the district following post-poll violence that erupted in some areas including the headquarters town.
“The prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC, which was initially clamped in the district headquarters, has been extended to the entire district,” said district Collector Nitin Bhanudas Jawale. He said the prohibitory order would remain in force till Sunday.
Accusing the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of rigging and tampering the electronic voting machines (EVM), the Opposition parties on Friday staged demonstrations and protests in the town.
A mob also assaulted Block Development Officer of Marsaghai Susant Kumar Pati, after they found a Government vehicle carrying 28 pairs of electronic voting machines (EVMs) parked near his official residence at the lIC colony near Saantsahi under the Kendrapada township area.
The mob broke open the gate and ransacked his house. On being informed, police rushed to the spot and rescued Pati from the mob. He was then hospitalised in a local hospital with injuries on his head and face. A case has been said against the mob, police said.
However, Election Observers Ramesh Kaul and Manish Ranjan, who conducted the check in presence of several Congress and BJP candidates, rejected allegations that the EVMs were tampered with or were stored by the BDO for manipulation of votes. They were kept for demo purpose.
“The EVMs spotted in front of the quarters were reserve machines. These had been dispatched to various booths of Mahakalpada Assembly constituency so that it could be put to use when any EVM turned dysfunctional.
There was no mala-fide intention in the storing of the EVMs. However, it should have been sent to the strong room earlier. The concerned BDO has been asked to explain why the EVMs had not been dispatched to the strong room,” Jawale said.
Simultaneous elections for 21 lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats in the State were held in two phases on April 10 and 17. The polling was held in the district of Kendrapada on Thursday in the second and final phase.
In yet another development in the district, a group of Congress supporters allegedly killed a BJD supporter and injured four others on Friday night at Badahi village of Niali GP under Ali Assembly segment.
According to Ali police station IIC Umakanta Moharana some Congress supporters allegedly attacked Arjuna Charan Rout, a retired army man and some others with sharp weapons at a dark place in the village.
Arujna’s nephew Samir Ranjan Rout has alleged that while Arjuna along with fellow villager Babaji Barik was going to a nearby Mahadev temple, some Congress supporters led by Bhikari Barik and his relatives attacked them with sharp weapons in a dark place. They also attacked others who came to the rescue of Arjuna and Babaji. Arjuna and four others were injured in the attack. Arjuna succumbed to his injuries at the district headquarters hospital whereas the injured have been shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Sources said tension prevailed between the two groups during the polling on Thursday. Bhikari had opposed a woman from voting in the presence of her son. However, Arjuna had argued in woman’s support.