Bhubaneswar, Feb 19: Family members of Odisha MLA Santosh Singh Saluja sought police protection on Monday following death threats to the legislator on banners, surfaced across the Kantabanji Constituency.
On the banners, hung in significant places in the Balangir district, someone has threatened to kill Kantabanji MLA Saluja within 15 days.
Though the banners have an image of a man, it’s quite unclear to recognise the miscreant from the banner.
Anticipating danger to the family members ahead, Saluja’s brother Bariyam Singh Saluja who is Chairperson of Kantabanji ULB accompanied by scores of Congress leaders lodged a complaint with the police wherein they demanded action against the alleged perpetrator and urged the police to ensure safety and security to the family.
Saluja on the threat said, "I came to know about the threat, cited on the posters from media reports. It is strange that at a time when I am roaming across the Kantabanji Constituency for its development, somebody threatens to kill me.”
However he claimed, “development in my constituency would not be held back even after killing me. I do not afraid of death. Many Salujas will be on the row to work for welfare of the soil, in case I am assassinated”
Acting on the complaint, the Kantabanji police seized the banners and launched a probe into it. However, no one is nabbed so far in this connection.
Kantabanji SDPO Gouranga Charan Sahu said, the case is under investigation. Efforts are on to unearth the mystery shrouded over the banners. A team of Police officers are also verifying the case to rule out the involvement of Maoists, in causing threat to Saluja.
