Bhubaneswar, May 16: Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday condemned the pre-poll violence in the Khallikote area of Odisha's Ganjam district and extended his condolences to the family members of the deceased BJP worker.

"I am saddened by the death of our party activist Dilip Pahan in the pre-election violence in the Khallikote area of Ganjam district. May the immortal soul rest in peace and condolence to the bereaved family," Pradhan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"Violence and injustice have no place in democracy. I strongly condemn the attack on BJP workers by the ruling BJD members. The ruling party has resorted to violence for fear of losing the elections. The sacrifices of the BJP activists will not go in vain. The people will give the  befitting reply through the ballot," he added.

ଗଞ୍ଜାମ ଜିଲ୍ଲା ଖଲ୍ଲିକୋଟରେ ଅଭାବନୀୟ ପ୍ରାକ୍ ନିର୍ବାଚନୀ ହିଂସାରେ ଆମର ଦଳର କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକର୍ତ୍ତା ଦିଲ୍ଲୀପ ପାହାନଙ୍କ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ହେବା ଘଟଣାରେ ମୁଁ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଓ ମର୍ମାହତ । ଅମର ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି । ଏହି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟରେ ମହାପ୍ରଭୁ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ଅସୀମ ଧୈର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଓ ସାହସ…

— Dharmendra Pradhan (मोदी का परिवार) (@dpradhanbjp) May 16, 2024

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker died while several others sustained serious injuries in a scuffle with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) activists in the Khallikote area of Odisha's Ganjam district on Wednesday night.

The deceased was identified as Dilip Pahan of Sri Krushna Saranapur village under Khallikote police limits in the district.

According to sources, the deceased along with other BJP workers, who recently joined the saffron party after leaving the ruling BJD, were putting up election campaign posters at Sri Krushna Saranapur village late Wednesday night.

A scuffle broke out when some BJD workers objected to putting up the posters. Several persons, including Dillip, sustained serious injuries in the pre-poll fight.

The injured were immediately rushed to the nearby hospital in Khallikote. They were later shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur for advanced treatment. Dilip succumbed to the injuries while undergoing treatment at the MKCG hospital.

The BJP workers on Thursday protested outside the Khallikote police station demanding immediate arrest of the attackers.

They also  demanded the arrest of BJD candidate and incumbent MLA from the Khallikote assembly constituency, Suryamani Baidya and her husband Daitary Behera in connection to the incident.

Meanwhile, the district authorities, on the direction of the Election Commission of India,  imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code around the Khallikote police station and beefed up security in the town.

Polling is scheduled to be held in the Khallikote Assembly segment under the Aska parliamentary constituency on May 20.

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