Bhubaneswar: Unidentified people set Talcher MLA Braja Kishore Pradhan’s official residence here on fire late Sunday night. Several vehicles including two cars, two motorcycles parked in his quarter were gutted. Wooden furniture and a bicycle kept in his house at MLA Colony in Unit-V under Kharavel Nagar police station limits were reduced to ashes.
Eyewitnesses said, the incident took place at around 1.30 am when some locals rushed to the house hearing a blast and spotted thick smoke billowing out of the house. They immediately informed the fire services personnel.
However, the vehicles and furniture kept in the house had been completely burnt down when the fire service personnel managed to douse the flames.
The perpetrators had locked the main gate from outside before torching the house. There were reportedly four persons present at the MLA’s house when the fire took place. Pradhan had left for New Delhi Sunday afternoon.
Kharavel Nagar police rushed to the spot and started a probe. Speaking to media, Additional Commissioner of Police Sanjay Singh said, “It is a case of mischief and somebody has deliberately caused the fire. We will request the MLA to cooperate in the probe after his return.”
Some close aides of Pardhan claimed it was an attempt by opposition party members to derail the proposed strike against mining PSU Mahanadi Coalfields Tuesday over a recent accident leading to death of four miners in Bharatpur Coal Fields.