Sonepur: Tension prevailed after irate locals staged an agitation following the cold-blooded murder of a former sarpanch by miscreants in Dunguripali block of Odisha's Sonepur district here on Thursday. 

The deceased, identified as Ballabh Kheti, former sarpanch of Gajabandh panchayat and husband of current sarpanch Basanti Kheti, was hacked to death while returning home. 

As per reports, Ballabh was on his way to his native village Kendupali at around 10 pm when four unidentified miscreants brutally attacked him. The assailants intercepted him near Pandarapali and fatally struck his head with sharp weapons. They then fled the scene. Locals spotted Ballabh lying in a pool of blood and rushed him to Dunguripali hospital but doctors declared him brought dead. 

On getting information, Rampur police arrived at the scene and started investigation after seizing the body for postmortem. 

Media reports stated that two suspects have been detained for interrogation and other two are on the run. The exact motive behind the murder is not ascertained yet and probe is underway.

Following the incident, panic gripped the area. Meanwhile on Friday, sarpanchs of all blocks along with villagers gathered at the hospital and demanded justice for the family of the deceased and immediate arrest of the accused.