Rourkela (Orissa), July 23: A prominent BJD leader and former Zilla Parishad president, Harshida Lugun, was today gunned down here. Police said the assailant came in a motorcycle to her residence and fired from close range before escaping. A blood-drenched Lugun was rushed to the Ispat General Hospital where she was declared brought dead. Lugun was president of the Sundargarh Zilla Parishad from 1996-97 to 2001-02 on being elected on a JMM ticket. She, however, quit the JMM along with party MLA, George Tirkey, of Biramitrapur and joined the BJD.
The DIG of police, Pradip Kapoor, and Superintendent of Police, Sanjib Panda, said that they had been looking for a man who was a long-time political associate of Lugun.

The police have seized a country-made pistol lying on the floor of the house along with a pair of shoes and an airbag left behind by the assailant which contained another country-made pistol and two live catridges. Bureau Report