Former BJD MLA arrested for assaulting and robbing tourists

This is not the first arrest for the former BJD MLA, in October 2018, he was arrested in Andhra Pradesh for misbehaving with a girl and her mother.

A former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Debendra Kanhar and one of his associates were arrested in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Tuesday for allegedly thrashing and looting a group of tourists, said police. Kanhar was MLA from Phulbani between 2009 and 2014.

Kanhar and his associate, an India Reserve Battalion (IRB) jawan named Srinivasan Kanhar, were arrested on charges of assaulting a group of tourists when they were visiting the Katramal waterfalls in Kandhamal district. Kamaksha Behera and his friends from Parjang in Dhenkanal district came to Kandhamal on February 11 for picnic when they were beaten up mercilessly by Kanhar and his associates. The former MLA even snatched away money from the tourists, said Phulbani sub divisional police officer Mahendranath Murmu.

This is not the first time Kanhar is in trouble. In October 2018, he was arrested in Andhra Pradesh for misbehaving with a girl and her mother. Earlier, a sex tape of the former legislator had surfaced.

A police team apprehended the former MLA from FCI Chhak in the town area. Police said Kanhar and his accomplice have been booked under sections 160/21/1817/34/365 of IPC. However, three other accused in the case are still absconding.