Kendrapara district administration imposed 144

Kendrapara district administration imposed section-144 in entire district restricting any type of public meeting, gathering, procession and rallies.

This comes a day after Marshaghai BDO was manhandled by mob over allegations of EVM tampering.

The prohibitory orders will remain in force for 24 hours or until the situation normalises.

In the morning, the district magistrate imposed the order in Kendrapara town only and later extended it to the entire district after some fresh violence was reported in other places.

Tension mounted when an EVM-loaded vehicle was spotted parked in front of the official residence in the town of a block development officer (BDO) Sushant Kumar Pati. The EVMs had Kendrapara Lok Sabha and Mahakalpada Assembly written over them.

Smelling foul-play, local people and opposition party workers allegedly beat up Marshghai BDO Pati and pelted stones at his government quarter. Later Pati was rescued by police.

Accusing the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of rigging and tampering the electronic voting machines (EVM), the opposition parties on Friday staged demonstrations and protests in the town.