Odisha: Cops, journalists attacked, ballot boxes looted as police disperse angry mob

In an unfortunate incident amid the third phase of Panchayat Polls in the Jajpur district of Odisha, three journalists were allegedly thrashed by miscreants, today. The lapses in security arrangements in the ongoing Odisha Panchayat polls were highlighted when miscreants turned successful in looting two ballot boxes at booths No 4 and 6 in Bachala Panchayat under Binjharpur block of Jajpur district.

Jajpur/ Kendrapara: In an unfortunate incident amid the third phase of Panchayat Polls in the Jajpur district of Odisha, three journalists were allegedly thrashed by miscreants, today. The lapses in security arrangements in the ongoing Odisha Panchayat polls were highlighted when miscreants turned successful in looting two ballot boxes at booths No 4 and 6 in Bachala Panchayat under Binjharpur block of Jajpur district.

According to police, the incident took place when the journalists had gone to cover the alleged loot of ballot boxes at Bachala Panchayat. Meanwhile, some miscreants attacked them. The miscreants also ransacked their vehicles.

On being informed, police reached the spot and launched a probe into the incident. As per preliminary reports, four miscreants entered the booth and decamped with the ballot boxes between 9:15 am and 9:30 am today. Later, the miscreants reportedly threw the boxes in a nearby pond.

Meanwhile, tensions rose in the polling station of Rajnagar block of the Kendrapara district of the state as the miscreants attacked police personnel amid a booth rigging charge. SI Soumya Ranjan Panigrahi rushed to the spot and took charge at Rajnagar Block Gokhani Polling booth.

However, the mob attacked the police personnel, and to control the situation, a police officer reportedly brandished his service revolver to disperse the angry mob, the villagers alleged.

Meanwhile, the people are waiting for the SI to apologize for his actions. The agitating locals said the polling staff would not be released until SI Soumya and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party candidate apologized.

On the other hand, the Dongria Kandha tribal community of Rayagada district looted the ballot box from the Railima polling station in the Kalyansinghpur block. Although the police later recovered the ballot box.

According to the sources, the names of 120 voters were missing from the Railima booth in Talamushudi and Uparmushudi villages. Voters did not find their names after reaching the polling station so the ballot box was taken away by the Dongria community which disrupted the polling process.