Congress' Puri Lok Sabha Candidate Uma Ballav Rath Assaulted, Receives Serious Injuries

Congress nominee for Puri assembly seat Uma Ballav Rath was seriously injured on Sunday after he was assaulted by unknown miscreants, police said. Rath, who sustained head and body injuries, filed a complaint at Kumbharpada police station. He claimed that while canvassing near the bus stand, he was suddenly attacked by unknown people with bricks and glass bottles.

Local residents intervened and saved him, prompting a police response led by the City DSP. "Some unknown miscreants assaulted me while I was canvassing near the bus stand. Suddenly, some people came and attacked me," Rath, a former MLA, told reporters. It is suspected that Rath candidature as the Congress nominee could have been a reason for the attack. Though the party had initially announced Sujit Mohapatra as its candidate for the seat, it later dropped him and nominated Rath.

However, Rath said he would not blame anyone. "Let the police investigate into the matter," he said. Meanwhile, angry over the change of candidate by the Congress leadership, supporters of Mohapatra ransacked the party's district office in the town, police said. Mohapatra alleged that he was dropped by the party after he filed nomination papers.