Khurda: Odisha BJP has accused Biju Janata Dal of sponsoring the murder of the saffron party’s Khurda Zone-9 Mandal President Manguli Jena, who was shot dead by miscreants late Sunday night.
Speaking to reporters today, state unit BJP spokesperson Sudipta Ray and its MLA candidate for Khurda Assembly constituency Kalu Khandayatray accused the ruling party of political violence and said that the criminal act was sponsored by them.
Local BJD MLA candidate Jyotirindranath Mitra, however, refuted involvement of BJD workers in this incident.
“As BJD enjoys a good position here, the BJP is trying to tarnish our image. We demand an impartial investigation and stringent punishment against the culprit,” said Mitra.
BJP is observing a six-hour Khurda bandh over the incident. The bandh that started at 8am and will continue till 2pm.
According to reports from the ground, major roads have been blocked by protestors and picketing continues at several places of the town. Besides, the road at Badapokharia on Kolkata-Chennai National Highway-16 under Nirakarpur police limits is also out of bound for motorists.
BJP workers are also staging a mass demonstration and sit-in in front of the town police station here demanding immediate arrest of the accused.
PNN