12 Chatrapur Samiti Members ‘locked up’ at hotel by police before Block Chairman poll

Khordha: High drama unfolded at a hotel in Badkul area of Odisha’s Khordha district as 12 Samiti Members of Chatrapur block in Ganjam district were allegedly locked up by police at the hotel, hours before the Block Chairman election.

Sonali Senapati, one of the 12 Samiti Members, alleged that they were on a visit and taking rest at the hotel when police seized their mobile phones and locked them up at around midnight.

The helpless Samiti Members were seen standing at a balcony of the hotel and urging for help and rescue. They alleged that the police were trying to stop them from casting their votes.

“Policemen have been deployed at various exit points of the hotel. They are not allowing us to go outside. The polling is scheduled to take place at 12 noon. If not rescued, we will jump off the balcony and end our lives,” said Sonali Senapati.

As the news of the incident spread, Chatrapur SDPO Gautam Kishan reached the spot to take stock of the situation. He refuted the allegation of the Samiti Members being locked up by police.

“We had received a complaint that the Samiti Members might be threatened and stopped from casting their votes. As a precautionary measure, we provided them protection at the hotel. They were not detained by police. They can leave the place whenever they want,” the police official said.

Later, the Samiti Members were released from the hotel.