Boudh: Two persons were allegedly kidnapped Saturday night and assaulted for not casting their votes in favour of a Zilla Parishad (ZP) candidate, who lost in the recently-concluded panchayat elections from Sagada panchayat under Manamunda block in Boudh district.
The two have been identified as Narayan Kanhara and his elder cousin Tumbeswar Kanhara of Dorasingh village. They were returning home after attending some work at Manmunda when they were kidnapped.
Sources said, Boudh ZP Zone4 BJD candidate’s husband Bipin Pradhan was the brain behind the kidnapping. He and seven of his associates kidnapped Narayan and Tumbeswar and took them to a nearby jungle and assaulted them mercilessly.
They also allegedly snatched away their money. They released the two from detention after locals spotted them.
“Bipin and his associates forcibly took us atop a mountain and assaulted us for not casting votes in favour of his wife Bayanti who was a BJD Zilla Parishad candidate,” alleged Narayan.
“They also took away our money and threatened to kill us. Somehow, we managed to escape,” added Narayan. The victims have lodged an FIR at Manamunda police station in this regard.
Based on the complaint, police registered a case and have launched an investigation. Efforts to get the comments of the BJD candidate, her husband or the police failed.
PNN