Sangh parivar outfits call for 12-hour Kendrapara bandh

Sangh Parivar outfits on Tuesday called for a 12-hour Kendrapara district bandh on Wednesday to protest against alleged police inaction in an attempt to murder case.

As the shutdown call coincides with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaiks proposed visit to the district on Wednesday for campaign trail for Patkura by-poll, security has been further tightened to avert possible breach of peace, police said.

The sangh parivar outfits alleged that the police did not take any action against the culprits involved in a murderous attack on local right wing outfit leader Bibekananda Moharana on Sunday night.

Moharana, district wing chief of Dharma Rakhya Sena, an outfit affiliated to Sangh Parivar, was grievously injured in a firing incident on Sunday night near Danda Munda chowk on the outskirts of Kendrapara town.

Moharana had been shifted to SCB medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in critical condition. He is still stated to be critical, sources said.

"Police are groping in dark and unable to identify the culprits. The failure on part on local police in curbing lawlessness prompted us to give 12 hour dawn-to-dusk shutdown call tomorrow (Wednesday)," said Banambar Sahoo, president of the district wing of VHP.