Death threat posters against Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A number of posters and banners threatening to kill Odisha’s senior Congress leader and Kantabanji MLA Santosh Singh Saluja surfaced in Odisha’s Bolangir district on Monday morning.

While the banners have a picture of a man, his identity is yet to be ascertained. The unknown person has written, “I will kill Santosh Singh Saluja within 15 days.”

Speaking about the threat, Saluja said, "I came to know about the banners through electronic media. It is strange that at a time when I am roaming the Kantabanji assembly segment for its development, somebody has threatened to kill me. Kantabanji's development cannot be held back even after killing me. I do not fear death. If one Saluja dies, many more Salujas will take birth to carry out my mission for the development of Kantabanji."

"I urge upon the district police administration to arrest the accused soon and expose the bid to keep me away from developing the Kantabanji constituency. It looks like a political threat, issued to demoralise me," he added.

The police seized all the banners and launched a probe to nab the accused.

“The police seized all the posters immediately after getting the news. We have already launched a probe in this connection. We are talking with Saluja's family. The perpetrator will not be spared. He will be dealt with as per the law," said Kantabanji Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Gouranga Charan Sahu.

In 2015, Saluja was attacked with a sharp weapon on the outskirts of Kantabanji over a land dispute

The incident had occurred when the legislator and his cousin Amarjit and supporters were on a visit to a landed property in Kantabanji. Though a dispute over the property was suspected to be the reason behind the attack, it was not officially confirmed.

However, Saluja had alleged that the ruling Biju Janata Dal had its hand behind the attack. He alleged that the then local BJD MLA from Kantabanji, Ayub Khan was behind the attack.

The areas near Kantabanji, including Bangomunda, Khaprakhol and Turekela, are infested with Maoist elements.