Eggs hurled at Pranab’s car

Jajpur: Tension prevailed at a village in Jajpur district as some youths reportedly hurled eggs at the vehicle of BJD leader and former Dharmasala MLA Pranab Kumar Balabantaray during his visit to Dharmasala on Thursday.

The incident took place at Kurikana village under Jenapur police limits while the former legislator was on his way to visit Laxmi Puja pandals. As per the reports, a group of youths hurled eggs at the vehicle of Balabantaray while he was returning after visiting a Laxmi Puja pandal in Kurikana under Dharmasala Assembly constituency. The youths also raised slogans against the former legislator.

On being informed, Jenapur police reached the spot and launched a probe into the incident.Despite the egg-hurling incident, Balabantaray visited a few other Laxmi Puja pandals in the area.

Balabantaray suspected the involvement of some supporters of sitting Dharmasala MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo in the incident.Balabantaray, son of late minister and Rajya Sabha member Kalpataru Das, lost the seat to Independent candidate Himanshu Sekhar Sahoo in the 2024 Assembly polls.

Balabantaray had been elected to Odisha Assembly from Dharmasala seat on BJD ticket in 2014 and 2019. He is an influential BJD leader in Jajpur district and is perceived to be close to the BJD leadership.It remains unclear why the local youths targeted the former legislator and resorted to egg-hurling.