Brahmagiri Firing Incident: Administration Seals Accused’s Rice Mill Indefinitely, Manhunt Underway

Puri: Following a violent political dispute that left one man critically injured, the Puri district administration has indefinitely sealed a rice mill belonging to the prime accused, Bulu Pahala, in Brahmagiri.

The enforcement action was carried out on Sunday under the direct supervision of the Brahmagiri Additional Tahsildar, amid a massive deployment of law enforcement personnel to prevent further outbreak of violence in the region.

The sealing of the commercial property comes as part of a sweeping administrative and police crackdown following a daylight shooting that has triggered intense political and communal tension across the district.

The Midnight Defection Turned Violent

According to senior police officials investigating the matter, the incident unfolded during midday at a public meeting convened near the Trailokanath Temple, located close to Kalikabadi village within the jurisdiction of the Brahmagiri police station.

Eyewitnesses reported that the gathering was initially called to discuss local community matters. However, the atmosphere turned volatile when the accused, identified as Bulu Pahala, alongside his associate Hari Pahala, publicly announced their decision to defect from the regional Biju Janata Dal (BJD) party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The political announcement sparked immediate friction among the attendees. A heated verbal altercation broke out between the duo of Bulu and Hari Pahala on one side, and another villager, identified as Tofan Pahala, on the other.

As the argument escalated, witnesses stated that an enraged Bulu Pahala abruptly left the meeting ground and returned to his residence. Minutes later, he arrived back at the temple premises armed with a firearm. Before onlookers could intervene, Bulu allegedly fired a direct round at Tofan.

The bullet struck Tofan squarely in the abdomen, causing him to collapse on the spot in a pool of blood. Exploiting the ensuing panic and chaos, the shooter and his associates fled the scene.

Medical Crisis and Police Mobilisation

Local residents rushed the heavily bleeding victim to a nearby medical facility, from where he was subsequently shifted to a specialized tertiary care hospital due to the severity of his internal injuries. Attending physicians have described Tofan’s condition as highly critical, noting that he remains under close observation following emergency surgery to extract the bullet.

In response to the shooting, the Puri district police command mobilized a heavy contingent to the area to thwart retaliatory violence. Two full platoons of armed police forces have been strategically deployed across Kalikabadi village and its peripheral areas. Mandated guards have been stationed at the residential property of the accused, as well as at various commercial establishments linked to his family.

A high-level investigative team, comprising five police station inspectors and spearheaded by the Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), has set up a base of operations at the crime scene to conduct forensic mapping and gather physical evidence.

Administrative Crackdown and Manhunt

As police secured the village, the local administration moved swiftly against the economic assets of the absconding accused. The Brahmagiri Additional Tahsildar arrived at Bulu Pahala’s rice mill with a formal enforcement order. In the presence of police witnesses, the facility's gates were chained and official administrative seals were affixed, shutting down operations indefinitely. Officials indicated that the measure was taken both as a law-and-order precaution and as part of administrative pressure tactics against the fugitive.

"We are treating this as a zero-tolerance event," a senior police official privy to the investigation stated on the condition of anonymity. "The political alignment of the individuals involved is secondary to the blatant violation of law. A firearm was brought into a public gathering, and a citizen was shot. The administration will use all legal avenues available to ensure compliance and bring the perpetrators to book."

A dedicated special squad team has been constituted by the Puri police to track down Bulu Pahala and his accomplices. Detectives are currently executing coordinated raids on suspected hideouts, relatives' residences, and transit points across Puri and neighboring districts.

While the police maintain that the situation on the ground is currently stable but tense, section-like restrictions on gatherings are being monitored closely near the Trailokanath Temple to ensure public safety remains uncompromised.