Just A Day Before PM Modi’s Odisha Visit, BJP Zone President Shot Dead In Khurda; Dharmendra Pradhan Blames BJD

BJP zone president Manguli Jena was shot dead by an unidentified gunman late on Sunday (14 April) night in the Nabina Bag area of Khurda (Odisha), reports The Hindu.

Protesting against the gruesome murder, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a bandh today (15 April) in the Khurda town, 30 km away from the state’s capital Bhubhaneshwar. The murder took place near the BJP’s party office in Khurda.

A bike-borne assailant shot at Jena at point-blank range as the president was leaving for his home after a day-long campaign. BJP candidate for the Khurda Assembly Kalu Khandayatray, who was standing near Jena during the attack, escaped unhurt.

“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,” alleged Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister while addressing a press conference on Monday.

It should be noted that this murder came only a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit the state.

“Deteriorating Law And Order Situation”

Aparajita Sarangi, the BJP’s candidate for the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency, added, “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."

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