BJD leader shot dead in Odisha’s Bolangir

Belpada police station in charge Bulu Munda said Biswal was shot in his chest and he died at a local community health centre

Published on: Mar 29, 2022, 12:18:19 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

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BHUBANESWAR: Two unidentified assailants shot dead a ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) functionary in Odisha Bolangir on Monday. Loknath Biswal, 65, was with his wife Binita, a member of Belpada Panchayat Samiti, outside their home in Banmal village when the two on a bike fired at him.

Belpada police station in charge Bulu Munda said Biswal was shot in his chest and he died at a local community health centre. “We cannot say if the murder is linked to political reasons. But we are looking at all angles,” said Munda.

Biswal, who is believed to have named the two assailants before he died, was a popular leader in his area and got his wife elected unopposed as the Samiti member in last month’s panchayat polls.

Two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers were separately injured in the Balasore district after four unidentified people allegedly attacked them on Monday.

The district unit of the BJP blamed BJD supporters for the attack. BJP had taken out a victory rally on Monday after the party’s candidate was elected as the Soro Municipality chairman. The two were returning after the rally when they were attacked with sharp weapons.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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