Miscreants attack councilor’s brother, resort to blank firing at Odisha’s Khallikote

Bhubaneswar: Unidentified miscreants today resorted to blank firing in front of the house of a councilor at Khallikote in Ganjam district ahead of the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha.

At least four miscreants reached near the house and shop of Narayan Barik, the councilor of Ward no. 11 of Khallikote Notified Area Council (NAC), in a car in the evening and attacked his brother Kanha Barik with hockey sticks without any provocation.

Kanha sustained injuries on his head and other parts of body in the attack.

The miscreants also vandalized a four-wheeler of Barik’s family. They fled the spot after resorting to blank firing, locals said.

On being informed, officials of the Khallikote police reached the spot and launched a probe into the incident. Sources, meanwhile, claimed that an unidentified person had threatened the councilor over phone yesterday.

Notably, Khallikote Assembly seat under Aska Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha will go for elections on May 20.