Normal life has been hit in Khurda town, about 30 km from here on Monday, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is observing a bandh in protest against the murder of the party’s zone president Manguli Jena by an unidentified gunman late on Sunday night.
The murder took place near the BJP’s party office in the Nabina Bag area of Khurda. The victim was shot at point blank range by a bike-borne assailant as he was about to leave for his home following a day-long campaign. Kalu Khandayatray, BJP candidate for the Khurda Assembly seat, was standing near him but escaped unhurt.
Mr. Jena was immediately rushed to the Khordha District Headquarters Hospital where doctors declared him dead. Agitated BJP workers called for a six-hour bandh between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday to protest the killing. Shops remained close and vehicular movement was hit.
“We suspect that the attackers had come to eliminate our candidate Mr. Khandayatray. Fearing imminent defeat, the ruling party [Biju Janata Dal] has resorted to violence,” charged Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, addressing a press conference early morning on Monday.
“It is extremely sad and shocking to learn about the brutal murder of Manguli Jena, Mandal president of the BJP’s Khordha zone. The deteriorating law and order situation in the State has reached an all-time low. There was a rape and murder of a four-year-old girl child in Jatni on Saturday and now this ghastly murder in Khurda,” said Aparajita Sarangi, the BJP’s candidate for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency.
Reacting to the murder, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “There is no place for violence in democracy. I condemn the violence in Khurda and express my condolences to the bereaved family members. I request the Election Commission to direct State police to take the matter seriously and intitiate strong action so that a heinous crime like this does not recur.”
