Even as the polling for the Baleswar Sadar Assembly by-election is scheduled on Tuesday. a clash between BJP and BJD supporters occurred on Sunday night at Chandipur, leaving several of them injured.
While two of them received serious injuries, they were shifted to the SCB Medical College Hospital, Cuttack .
The police said that five people were arrested in this connection and forwarded to court after being booked under appropriate sections of IPC including attempt to murder. Reports said a group of BJP workers and supporters attacked the BJD workers who were residing in lodges in Chandipur after cessation of campaigning.
There were about 40 people with sharp weapons including swords and knives who attacked 18-20 BJD workers.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Manoj Rout said, “On receiving complaints from the BJP that BJD leaders are still residing in lodges we carried out raids in hotels and lodges and asked them to vacate rooms immediately.
In Chandipur too during raids outsiders(BJD workers) were found and we had asked them to vacate rooms. During their leaving the place, a group of local workers and supporters of BJP armed with sharp weapons attacked them.
There were scuffles between the supporters of two groups. Two BJD supporters received injuries. They were shifted to the DHH and subsequently to the SCB.” The lodge in which they were residing too was vandalised by the BJP supporters.
There will be cases of violation of model code of conduct against BJD supporters who were residing in the lodges after the cutoff period . However, the situation is under control, the police added.
Panchayat Samiti member of Chandipur Sanjay Dalei and another BJD leader were seriously injured.
Meanwhile in Chandipur, security has been further beefed up with police doing massive patrolling in Chandipur and other sensitive areas.