Bhubaneswar: Around 25 people were injured as Congress supporters clashed with police in Bhubaneswar Thursday after being stopped from marching to the assembly, seeking a high-level investigation into crimes against women that they allege have increased after the BJP came to power in the state last June.
Among those injured were 15 police personnel, most of whom were hit by stones thrown by the protesters after being stopped on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg in the heart of the city, an officer said.
To tackle the situation, police baton-charged the Congress workers and used tear gas shells and water cannons.
Congress leaders alleged that police used excess force on the protesters who were demanding an all-party House Committee to probe the cases and that they could have arrested them.
Police said they were compelled to use force as the Congress activists hurled stones, bottles and plastic chairs at the on-duty security personnel after breaking the first barricade.
“Fifteen police personnel were injured in the stone pelting by the protestors. The conditions of four of them were serious. A TV journalist also sustained a head injury,” Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Narasingha Bhola said.
The Congress leadership had assured the police that they would not violate the law, but they attacked the police personnel, he said.
“Stringent action will be taken against the lawbreakers,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner Police Jagmohan Meena said, “Some people in the crowd have also sustained injuries. All are being treated at the Capital Hospital.”
The protesters violated prohibitory orders under BNSS Section 163, which were imposed in the area due to the ongoing budget session of the assembly, he said.
The situation is under control at present, but stringent vigil is being maintained on all roads leading to the assembly, he said.
“We have received information that there was an attempt to set a police vehicle on fire. The driver of the van luckily managed to thwart it. We are probing the incident,” Meena said.
State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das alleged, “The police used excess force and attacked the activists while they were on the way to the assembly. There was no point in assaulting the protestors. The police could have arrested them instead.”
“Many of our workers have been injured, and four of them were serious. The activists are being treated in different hospitals. We are not afraid of arrests,” he added.
Congress leaders claimed that around 10 activists were hurt in the police action, and among them was the party’s former state president, Jaydev Jena, who sustained injury on his hands.
Congress in-charge of Odisha Ajay Kumar Lallu condemned the “police brutality” on party workers.
DCP Jagmohan Meena said that 2,400 police personnel were deployed on roads leading to the assembly.
PTI
