Dhenkanal, Jan. 5: Kamakyanagar police today arrested two hired killers for attempting to murder district BJD youth wing president Yaswant Parida on Thursday.

The two arrested persons are Suresh Panda, 29, of Badabhuin and Subasish Sahani, alias Muna, 27, of Solagadia in Athgarh subdivision.

They were hired to kill Parida in exchange of Rs 10 lakh. However, three others, including the chief conspirator Deepak Mahanta, are absconding.

A few days ago, another BJD leader, Abhimanyu Sahu, was murdered at Titilagarh in Balangir district on December 15. Crime branch police arrested four persons in the case.

Parida is being treated at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Dhenkanal police today said Mahanta was the mastermind behind the attack. He had hired two criminals to kill Parida to take revenge on him for his arrest in connection with a murder case in 2009.

Mahanta, who is from Baruan, was arrested in 2013 in connection with the murder case of the Baruan Congress panchayat samiti member Manu Bhutia. He was lodged in jail and was released on bail in last September.

“Suspecting that Parida was behind his arrest, Mahanta hatched a plot to kill him. Both Suresh and Muna had come to Kamakhya Nagar about a month ago when Mahanta made a contract to pay them Rs 10 lakh for killing Parida,” said sub-divisional police officer Raj Kishore Dora.

“On Januray 2, Suresh first tried to shoot Parida, but he had to abort his plan. The next day, he went near Parida’s medicine shop in the evening on a scooter. He fired two rounds from his pistol. Parida was injured and Suresh was captured by the local residents,” said Dora.