Attack on Odisha Congress chief: Eight arrested

Keonjhar: The Ramachandrapur police today arrested eight persons for their alleged involvement in the attack on Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Niranjan Patnaik last evening.

While four among the arrested ones belong to the Congress, four others are BJD workers, reports said.

Patnaik had yesterday filed a complaint with Ramchandrapur police alleging that BJD men were involved in the attack. He was injured after his vehicle was attacked by some miscreants during an election rally at Bhandaripoda Chaak under Ghasipura Assembly constituency. Incidentally, Patnaik is contesting the Assembly polls from this seat.

Apart from Patnaik, five to seven Congress workers were also injured in the attack. Three of them have been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Keonjhar District Congress Working President Ratikant Baral has claimed that local MLA and Minister Badri Narayan Patra’s son Debasish Patra was directly involvement in the attack.