On-duty poll official dies in Odisha’s Balasore

Balasore: A poll official died on his way to a polling booth in Nilagiri area of Odisha’s Balasore district today, couple of days ahead of the fourth phase elections scheduled on April 29.

Purnachandra Panda, the deceased official, had boarded a bus and was heading towards booth no. 28 at Ajodhya in the area when he complained of uneasiness.

He was admitted to the Balasore district headquarters hospital, where he was declared dead. Panda was an employee of Barabati Girls High School in Balasore and roped in for election duty.

The reason behind the death can be ascertained after post-mortem, hospital sources said. This is the third such death of a poll official in Odisha during the four-phase elections.