Odisha: Pradhan urges DGP to act against BJD leader accused of attacking woman voter

Dharmendra Pradhan. Pic/ANI

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday requested Odisha DGP to take strict action against a ruling BJD leader accused of physically assaulting a woman for refusing to vote for the ruling party in Hindol under Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat, reported news agency PTI.

This comes days after the chief electoral officer (CEO) directed the Angul district administration to submit an action-taken report regarding a ruling BJD MLA allegedly involved in attacking voters in Chhendipada area.

The woman from Hindol, in her police complaint, said she had gone to cast her vote at a booth in Rasol in Dhenkanal district during the third round of Lok Sabha and assembly elections on Saturday, reported PTI.

She recounted, "The BJD leader, present at the booth, urged women to vote for his party. When I opposed him, the leader attacked me. I sustained a fracture in my hand and injuries on my head," she told reporters.

The victim has lodged a complaint against the BJD leader at Rasol police station and expressed concerns about her safety, reported PTI.

Expressing dismay, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Pradhan condemned the incident and criticised the behaviour of ruling party leaders towards women.

He also shared a video of the assault on the woman. "I hope that @DGPOdisha will take strict action on this and arrest the Biju Janata Dal goons who carried out this incident as soon as possible," Pradhan said on X.

Pradhan emphasised that violence has no place in democracy and said people of Odisha will not tolerate the hooliganism of BJD leaders. He asserted that the electorate will respond fittingly to the ruling party in the elections, reported PTI.

In another incident, Odisha's CEO NB Dhal has instructed Angul collector to investigate an attack on a BJP worker allegedly by Chhendipada MLA Sushant Behera at a polling booth in Simili Sahi under Kosala panchayat of Angul district during the third round of elections on May 25.

The CEO issued this directive based on a complaint filed by Jayant Kumar Jena of the BJP legal cell, who alleged that the MLA attacked voters.

(With inputs from PTI)