Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJD and Congress Monday separately criticised the BJP-led Odisha government alleging that the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state.
Holding a press conference here, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed recent crimes across the state including the state capital Bhubaneswar have exposed the serious lapses in the law enforcement system.
Mohanty described an incident in Bharatpur in Bhubaneswar, where youths attacked the police in an attempt to terrorise the local population.
He also referred to another in which a police officer who went to arrest a thief in Korei area was beaten up by a woman.
The BJP leaders are manipulating the police, allowing criminals to go unpunished, thereby emboldening them to openly defy the law, the BJD leader alleged.
Mohanty asserted that the police are now failing to take action against criminals, who, under political protection, continue to spread fear among the common people.
Citing an example, he said eight murders were reported in the state during the recent Holi festival, yet no action was taken by the police against the perpetrators.
Similarly, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam said, “We have been raising the deteriorated law and order situation inside and outside the Assembly. But, the chief minister has remained silent on the issue till now.”
The Congress has been demanding formation of a House Committee to probe rising crime against women.
The state government has remained silent on this demand too, he said.
The recent incidents speak volumes about the law and order situation in Odisha, Kadam said.
Reacting to the opposition’s allegations, senior BJP leader and minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the crime rate has decreased in the state and the accused persons have been arrested in 90 per cent of the cases within 72 hours.
Meanwhile, the police Monday arrested six people for their alleged involvement in a clash between families of two brothers over parental property distribution in Bharatpur area here.
Following a fresh clash between the two brothers, a team from the Bharatpur police station reached the spot to arrest the accused persons. When the police team put them in the vehicle, locals attacked police personnel, threw stones and damaged the police vehicle, said Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena.
Two police officers and the vehicle driver got minor injuries in the incident, he said.
