Bhubaneswar: A high-level delegation of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), led by former Minister and State Senior Media Coordinator Pratap Jena, met the Director General of Police (DGP) today to demand immediate action regarding the planned violent attack on former MLA Pranab Balabantaray on April 13 in Arua village, Dharamshala.
The delegation expressed serious concern over the lack of progress in the investigation, despite the passage of more than a week and the fact that this was the eighth attack on Shri Balabantaray in the last ten months. The BJD alleged that instead of arresting the actual attackers, the police, under pressure from the SP and other senior officials, forced three individuals with no connection to the crime to surrender.
The delegation highlighted that Shri Balabantaray had informed the police in advance about his election campaign visit to the area and was participating in scheduled programs when his office, residence, and vehicle were repeatedly attacked. They stated that despite repeated complaints and appeals to higher authorities, no concrete action has been taken.
The BJD delegation further alleged that the violent incidents are being perpetrated by the mining mafia with the encouragement of the local MLA. They pointed out that while lethal weapons such as swords and axes were recovered from the attackers by the local IIC, no arrests have been made, raising serious questions about police neutrality. The delegation also stated that the Jajpur SP did not answer Shri Balabantaray’s call for help from the attack site, indicating a serious breakdown of law and order in Jajpur district, for which the Jajpur police are directly responsible.
The BJD delegation held detailed discussions with the DGP regarding the incident and demanded swift and decisive action.
The delegation included former Minister Sanjay Das Burma, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, MLAs Arun Sahoo, Byomkesh Ray, Dibya Shankar Mishra, Sushant Rout, Bishwaranjan Mallik, Ananta Narayan Jena, former MLA Pranab Balabantaray, and Media Coordinators Dr. Lenin Mohanty and Dr. Priyabrata Majhi.