Puri: Odisha Panchayati Raj Minister Maheswar Mohanty was seriously injured after being attacked by a youth at a poll meeting in Puri district on Monday ahead of the panchayat elections in the state.
Mohanty was addressing the meeting at Alandia village under Chandanpur police station when the youth dressed as a woman appeared on the dais from back side and hit the minister on his head with an iron pipe, the police said.
"Mohanty received injury on his head and is now undergoing treatment in the district headquarters hospital", the sources said.
The senior BJD leader was found profusely bleeding and brought to the hospital by local MLA Sanjay Dusburma and other party workers.
The attacker identified as Balbhadra Bhoi alias Mahari was overpowered by BJD workers and handed him over to the police. The youth was being interrogated.
Political rivalry was suspected to be the cause of the attack.
PTI
First Published: Monday, January 30, 2012, 22:30