JMM workers on Sunday attacked a Member of Parliament and BJP Singhbhum Lok Sabha candidate Geeta Koda during her poll campaign at a village in her constituency. 

An FIR was lodged by Geeta Koda against six named and over 50 unknown assailants in connection with the alleged attack. 

JMM, on the other hand, has alleged that the altercation was started by the BJP and its workers. “The LoP has been tweeting SOS playing the victim, but the fact is it was BJP leaders who started the altercation by pushing and shoving tribal villagers. 

The villagers then gheraoed Geeta Koda and others. They were peeved because the MP didn’t even come to the village once after winning last time,” the JMM said on X, in response to a video clip of the clash. Investigation revealed that Koda and her convoy were out on poll campaign when JMM supporters attacked her. 

The attackers were recognised as an armed crowd. The incident took place on Sunday afternoon at Mohanpur village, which falls under Gamharia police station in JMM leader and Chief Minister Champai Soren’s home district Seraikela-Kharsawan. 

The Singhbhum district administration’s flying squad team (FST) has loeged another case against five-six unknown persons for violation of Section 144 and carrying arms without permission.  

The mob, armed with bows-arrows, pick axes, sticks, axes etc, blocked Koda and her convoy from entering the village, saying that the villagers supported the INDIA bloc and there was no need for the BJP candidate to enter the village. They even gheraoed the MP Koda for over two hours before police and administration rescued her around 4.30pm. 

“Some criminal elements shouting slogans supporting a particular political party were harassing and threatening us from villages in Kandra this morning. And as we approached Mohanpur, hundreds of supporters of that party came in on motorcycles and tractors and blocked our convoy. 

They were armed with sticks, bows, arrows, pick axes, axes etc. and manhandled our supporters, clothes of women were torn off. This is murder of democracy,” Koda told media persons. 

The village also falls under the Seraikela assembly segment, represented by CM Champai Soren and is considered a strong hold of the ruling JMM.

“How could they forcibly stop a candidate from campaigning. This is a deep-rooted conspiracy. I have filed a complaint at Gamharia police station against six named and over 50 unknown assailants and reported the incident to the Election Commission of India (ECI),” Koda added. 

Her husband and former chief minister Madhu Koda said, “The JMM should not nurture any misconception. Every brickbat will be answered in an equal measure.” 

Sunil Kumar Prajapati, Seraikela sub-divisional officer (SDO), said, “A case has been lodged against five-six unknown persons by the FST team under sections 147, 148, 149, 341 342, 323, 324, 504, 506/34 and 171 f of the IPC as per the process of violation of Section 144 and model code of conduct. A report is being sent to the Election Commission as well.” 

The State Election Commission has also ordered a probe by the range inspector general (IG) into the attack after a delegation of the BJP legal cell, led by its state convenor Sudhir Srivastav, filed a complaint with the state chief election officer K Ravi Kumar and submitted related video clips in a pen drive. 

Alongside,, BJP state president Babulal Marandi has demanded increased security for Geeta Koda and strong action against the perpetrators in a post on X tagging the state director general of police (DGP). 

“When downfall looms large, the conscience dies first. Any amount of condemnation is enough for the cowardly attack on Geeta Koda during poll campaign by JMM leaders and workers. 

In fact, JMM has got unnerve with imminent defeat staring at their faces and hence they are attacking BJP leaders and workers. When a sitting lady MP is not safe, the security of ordinary women and common people under this government is an easy guess,” said Marandi.