BJD councillor killed

A BJD councillor in Chhatrapur Notified Area Council (NAC) in Odisha's Ganjam district was killed when unidentified assailants attacked him with sharp weapons near his house today, police said.
A group of men dragged Laxmidutta Pradhan (35), councillor of ward no. 6, out of his house in Chhatrapur and attacked him with sharp weapons.
Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Ramesh Chandra Sethi said the BJD leader's younger brother Debadutta also suffered injuries when he tried to stop the attackers.
Pradhan was taken to MKCG Medical College and Hospital here where he succumbed to his injuries, police said.
Previous enmity might be the cause of the killing but the exact reason would be known only after a thorough investigation, said the SDPO.

Some people have been detained in connection with the killing, he said.
The post-mortem was conducted at the medical college.
Police said the slain councillor was an accused in the murder case of Sakuru Behera, a CPI supporter, at Chhatrapur on July 23, 2014.