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Councillor shoots BJP supporter in Sambalpur

Bibhuti Mishra in Bhubaneswar

A Congress councillor shot dead a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party in broad daylight in Sambalpur town in western Orissa.

Councillor Ratan Biswal was a friend of Ratha Singh when both were in the Congress. But the two friends fell out a few months ago after Ratha started supporting the BJP. There was tension between the two families too. Biswal's younger brother was roughed up once and Singh's house was torched in retaliation.

Yesterday Biswal quarrelled with Madhu Singh, Singh's younger brother. Things got heated and Biswal shot Madhu Singh twice.

Madhu Singh died on the way to hospital and Ratan Biswal was arrested.

All shops were shut and the police have been deployed to avoid any fallout of the incident. There is sharp rivalry between the Congress and the BJP in the town, a town of traders, most of who are BJP supporters.

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