Bhubaneswar: The Odisha DGP has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the pre-poll violence incident in which a BJP worker died in Khallikote area of Odisha’s Ganjam district.
“The SIT will arrest of the rest accused persons early, collect proper evidence (scientific/ forensic/ digital), submit chargesheet within 30 days for early trial of the case. The SIT will give status report to IG of Police, Southern Range from time to time,” an official release said.
In view of the pre-poll violence in Khalikote, ADGP Radha Krishna Sharma will camp at Chhatrapur from May 17-21 to oversee law and order in Ganjam district during poll, it added.
Days ahead of the second-round elections in Odisha, clashes broke out at Srikrushnasaranpur village under Khallikote police limits when a group objected to the erection of party banners by another group late on Wednesday. While a BJP worker was killed, three others were seriously injured. The deceased, identified as Dillip Kumar Pahana from the same village, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at MKCG Medical College and Hospital. One of the injured was rushed to AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, after his condition deteriorated.
Sources said some of the injured were earlier associated with the BJD but recently switched over to the BJP, expressing unhappiness over candidate selection for the Khallikote Assembly seat.
Later, BJP workers protested in front of the Khallikote police station demanding immediate arrest of the attackers. They also blocked roads, disrupting traffic between Khallikote and Bhubaneswar. Police have so far arrested nine persons in connection with the incident.
Following the violence, Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha, Nikunja Bihari Dhal ordered for deployment of 20 companies of Central Armed Police Forces in Ganjam district for the smooth and peaceful conduct of elections to the eight Assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat going to the polls on May 20.