Odisha Congress candidate dies after attack; police say it was over personal rivalry

india

Updated: May 24, 2019 13:25 IST

The Congress’ candidate from Odisha’s Aska assembly constituency, who was attacked by unidentified men earlier this week near Berhampur town, died at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar late on Thursday evening.

Berhampur’s superintendent of police Pinak Mishra said Manoj Kumar Jena was attacked by six men on Wednesday evening, hours ahead of counting of votes to the simultaneous election to the Lok Sabha and assembly in Odisha, to settle a score over old enmity.

“The attack was not due to any political rivalry, but over old enmities and also over his the country liquor business,” Mishra said.

“Jena is an accused in two other murder cases in the past. We suspect the murder has something to do with his liquor business that harmed the interests of the accused persons,” Mishra said.

“All efforts are on to track the assailants,” the SP added.

A critically-injured Manoj Kumar Jena was initially admitted to the MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. He was later shifted to the private hospital in the state capital, where he died while undergoing treatment at the hospital.

Jena, who was travelling in his SUV from Bhubaneswar, had stepped down from his vehicle for relieving himself when the men caught up with him near a school in Lanjipali area of Berhampur and started firing at him from country-made Mausers.

Police said the men also slit his throat with a sharp weapon and attacked his associate Anil Kumar Swain.

Last month, the BJP’s Khurda mandal chief Manguli Jena was shot dead outside his party office in Khurda town over political rivalry. The Criminal Investigation Department, which probed the case, arrested five people last week in connection with the murder.