Berhampur: In a shocking development, a former block chairperson Debaraj Sahoo of Beguniapada in Ganjam district was shot dead by some unidentified miscreants Wednesday morning.
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According to an eyewitness, five miscreants riding two bikes opened fire at Sahoo near Sumandal bus stand while he was taking tea at a roadside shop. Sahoo succumbed to bullet injuries on the spot. The miscreants fled from the spot soon after committing crime.
Sahoo was shot from point-blank range, the eyewitness added.
On being informed, local police immediately rushed to the crime spot. Police have also launched a probe in this connection. Body of the deceased was recovered and sent for post-mortem.
On the other hand, some local villagers alleged that it appears to be a planned political murder which might have been hatched to eliminate Sahoo, ahead of the upcoming panchayat elections.
Notably, local BJP leader Kulamani Baral in Cuttack district and his associate Dibyasingh Baral were brutally murdered January 2.
PNN