Phulbani/Kotagada: Samiti member candidate of Jubaguda and Kotagada block BJD president Stephen Pradhan, who had allegedly been kidnapped, was rescued by police.
It was alleged that Kandhamal BJD MP’s representative for Kotagada Manoj Sabat and 11 others had abducted Pradhan.
The police tracked the cell phone of Pradhan and rescued him. A complaint was registered against 12 people. Police, however, have arrested six persons while Sabat and others are at large.
According to police, Pradhan along with his associates was going on a bike to Kotagada Bazaar Tuesday evening when Sabat and his friends, who came in three SUVs, waylaid them. They allegedly attacked Pradhan’s friends and kidnapped him in one of the SUVs.
As the news of kidnapping spread, scores of people blocked Kotagada-Muniguda main road demanding immediate rescue of Pradhan.
Police rushed to the spot and pacified the agitating people. A team of police officials intercepted an SUV near a petrol pump at Baliguda in the wee hours of Wednesday. Pradhan was among seven people inside the SUV.
PNN