Over 50 injured in Odisha clash

Cong supporters demand CMs resignation; break barricades, beat up policewoman

Several Congress workers, police personnel as well as media persons were injured when police resorted to lathi charge to control a protesting mob near the state Assembly building in Odisha capital Bhubaneswar on Thursday.

The Congress rally was attended by thousands of party workers from across the state and senior leaders like PCC chief Niranjan Patnaik. AICC Odisha in-charge and former Union minister Jagdish Tytler were at the helm. Trouble started when Congress workers broke the police barricades and began marching towards the Assembly building near the venue of the rally.

To control the situation, police first fired tear gas shells and water cannons on the unruly mob but later resorted to lathi charge. The Mahatma Gandhi Marg near the Assembly building turned into a battle ground as the Congress workers attacked the police with sticks and pelted stones. The pitched battle continued for over three hours not only on the M G Marg but also in the adjoining localities leaving more than 50 people injured.

The Congress squarely blamed the police for the incident saying that the former resorted to lathi charge without any provocation.

Call for bandh

Protesting the incident, the state unit of the party has given a call for an Odisha bandh on September 10. The party has also demanded an inquiry into the violence either by a judicial committee or by the Lok Pal. 

“Our party workers were demonstrating in a peaceful and democratic manner when the police started lath-charge without any provocation. The act was highly undemocratic and barbaric. The police were acting at the behest and direction of the BJD government which does not believe in democratic values,” said PCC spokesperson Kailash Acharya. He said a number of senior leaders of the party have sustained injuries in the incident.

Unruly party workers

The police, on the other hand, insisted that the lathi charge was necessary to control the unruly mob and maintain law and order.

“We had no other option but to take action when party workers became unruly and tried to march towards the Assembly building, a prohibited area, breaking the police barricades,” a senior police official said and added that several police personnel, including women constables have sustained injuries.

The incident made its impact in the state Assembly which is currently having its monsoon session.

Congress members trooped to the well of the house in the afternoon session and shouted slogans against the police action.