Political reasons behind attack: Khatei

SAMBALPUR: A day after former Sambalpur district BJP president and Hirakud NAC chairman Simanchal Khatei survived an attempt on his life on Friday, the party supporters accused police of ‘failing’ to check the crime in the region.A delegation of BJP activists met the Sambalpur SP Nikhil Kanodia and demanded immediate arrest of the miscreants. Kanodia said a special squad had been constituted to look into the case and hoped that the culprits would be nabbed soon. The condition of Khatei, meanwhile, is stable. Even as the reason behind his attack is yet to be ascertained, Khatei claimed that he was attacked over political reasons.  An unidentified miscreant had fired upon him near Cheptipulia Bridge on Remed-Hirakud Road and Khatei had taken a bullet in his abdomen. The incident occurred while Khatei was moving towards Hirakud in his MUV. Suddenly, a bullet, piercing the glass window of the vehicle, hit him.  At least three masked assailants were standing near the bridge with a parked motorcycle when the incident occurred.  One of them fired upon Khatei when the vehicle was moving slowly after crossing the bridge. The miscreants then fled.