Congress’s Assembly nominee in Puri attacked, critical

Puri, May 5

Congress nominee for the Puri Assembly seat Uma Ballav Rath was seriously injured on Sunday after he was assaulted by unknown miscreants, the police said. Rath, who sustained head and body injuries, filed a police complaint.

He claimed that while canvassing near the bus stand, he was attacked 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’s candidature as the Congress nominee could have been a reason for the attack.