The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): Congress nominee Uma Ballav Rath, contesting for the Puri Assembly seat, was severely injured on Sunday after being attacked by unknown miscreants during his campaign, police reported. He filed a complaint with the Kumbharpada police station after suffering head and body injuries in the assault.
Rath claimed he was canvassing near a bus stand when he was suddenly attacked with bricks and glass bottles by unknown individuals. Local residents intervened and rescued him, which prompted a police response led by the City DSP.
“While I was canvassing near the bus stand, some unknown people suddenly appeared and attacked me,” Rath, a former MLA, told reporters. He expressed a desire for the police to investigate thoroughly and refrained from assigning blame directly. “Let the police investigate into the matter,” he added.
The incident is suspected to have connections to Rath’s nomination as the Congress candidate, which could have triggered the attack. The party had initially named Sujit Mohapatra as its candidate for the Assembly seat before dropping him in favor of Rath. Angry over this change in candidacy, supporters of Mohapatra vandalized the Congress district office, according to police. Mohapatra claimed that he was removed from the race after filing his nomination papers.
