Bhubaneswar, Oct 12 (IANS): A prominent tribal leader was arrested in Odisha's Kandhamal district for attacks on some job aspirants, police said Friday.

Police arrested Lambodhar Kanhar, the general secretary of the Kui Samaj Samanwaya Samittee (KSSS), Thursday evening in the district headquarters town of Phulbani, about 200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, on the basis of the complaints lodged by some candidates, Kandhamal district Superintendent of Police J.N. Pankaj told IANS.

According to Pankaj, Kanhar and his supporters allegedly attacked some candidates from other districts who had come to Phulbani Tuesday to appear in an interview being held by the local authorities for some vacant government jobs.

While Kanhar was seen chasing a candidate with a stick, local television footage showed his supporters beating up others aspirants and tearing up their certificates.

Police registered two cases against Kanhar and his supporters, Pankaj said.

The KSSS has been demanding only local people be employed for various government jobs in Kandhamal.