Bhadrak/ Jagatsinghpur: Odisha reported two poll-related suicides in separate districts Monday even though the BJD and opposition BJP blamed each other for the rise in pre-poll and post-poll violence in the state.
A report from Bhadrak district said that the husband of a defeated panchayat samiti member committed suicide and a teenage daughter of a political activist couple ended her life in Jagatsinghpur district.
The family members of the political activist couple alleged that the man took the extreme step as they were taunted by the supporters of the winning candidate the extreme step after they were taunted by the supporters of the winning candidate. His wife, who was defeated in the contest for the sarpanch’s seat in Padmapur panchayat of Jagatsinghpur district, too tried to kill herself and is now battling for life at the SCB Medical College and Hospital (SCBMCH) in Cuttack. She had contested as an independent candidate.
The family has lodged a complaint with the police.
The winning candidate of the panchayat, Ashok Nayak said he was not aware about his supporters indulged in taunting defeated candidates. “Let the truth come out through investigation,” he said.
In another incident, a college girl allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at their house at Haveli village of Jagatsinghpur district.
The villagers said that the girl’s parents had fled from their house after they were booked in a case by the police accusing them and some other villagers of attacking police patrolling team during the panchayat election. The girl and her younger sister were staying alone in the house.
The victim’s sister alleged that Sunday night some police personnel knocked on the door of the house. As the girl and her sisters did not open the door, the policemen had allegedly threatened to pick them up in the morning. Later the girl died by suicide.
Jagatsinghpur SDPO Ramesh Singh, however, rejected the allegation and said that the police did not visit the village last night.
The local people staged a road blockade on Balibhaunri-Sikharghat road by burning tyres and placed the body on road. They later withdrew their agitation. Meanwhile, both the BJD and BJP blame each other for the poll-related violence in the state.
PTI