Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Congress on Monday (May 4, 2026) alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has "utterly failed" to ensure a safe environment for the people of Odisha after a broad daylight attack on a man on the streets at Kanas in Puri district.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das have expressed deep concern after a video went viral showing a group of miscreants chasing a man in a crowded marketplace and launching a violent assault using a sharp weapon. A motorbike with three riders ran over the man, creating panic in Kanas area on Saturday (May 2, 2026).
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Sources said the incident took place on a busy road barely half a kilometre from the local police station. The victim was identified as Mrutyunjaya Bharimal (35) of Dokanda village. The victim, too, had a long crime record, and the incident appeared to be a fight between two gangs in Puri district.
“The local people later rescued the man and sent him to a local hospital with the help of the police. The critically injured man was later shifted to AIIMS-Bhubaneswar. His condition remains critical,” police said.
