Bhubaneswar, Oct. 12: Tension prevailed in Pipili, nearly 20km from here, following yesterday’s clash between workers of the BJD and Congress.

In their complaints to the police, both sides blamed each other for the violence. However, no arrest was made till the evening. BJD and Congress workers lobbed crude bombs at each other. They also pelted stones and attacked each other with swords.

Debendra Samantray, the younger brother of former Congress legislator Yudhisthir Samantray suffered injuries and was rushed to a private hospital in the city.

The warring groups also staged a road blockade on NH-203, disrupting traffic vehicular traffic between Puri and Bhubaneswar. Congress leaders accused the BJD supporters of assaulting them and also criticised the role of the police. “They ransacked our office and threatened to kill my younger brother. The BJD supporters have been threatening us,” said Samantaray. He alleged that the incident took place in the presence of the police.

BJD’s Puri district unit secretary Debraj Behera refuted the allegations. “We were rallying peacefully on the concluding day of our Jansampark Yatra. But the Congress supporters tried to disrupt the rally,” said Behera, who belongs to Pipili constituency.

Sub-divisional police officer Rajendra Rout said: “The situation is under control. We have registered a case for disruption of vehicular traffic and are keeping close vigil to prevent any untoward incident. Five platoons of police have been deployed in the area.”

In a related incident, goons hurled crude bombs towards the Pipili College campus this evening. Police said students’ union poll, scheduled to be held on October 19, had been cancelled and the college had been closed sine die.