Description
Police arrested more than 100 protesters. Several members of the Odisha Police and BJP supporters were injured and police vehicles were damaged as party workers fought hard in a march to the Assembly. Hundreds of activists under the banner of the BJP Yuva Morcha rioted on Tuesday to demand a CBI investigation into the case of the murder of Health Minister Naba Kishore Das and the alleged deterioration of the public order situation.
Mahatma Gandhi Marg outside the Assembly building became a battlefield as police arrested BJP activists who tore down barricades erected by force. Many were seen scaling the barricades.
Police say the rioters hurled water bottles, eggs and rocks at the policemen, who then used batons to disperse the crowd. Several security personnel and political workers were injured in the clash.
Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh said around 10 policemen including ACP Amitav Mohapatra were injured in the clash.
At least five police vehicles were damaged in the clash, the PCD said.
Police have arrested more than 100 protesters and action will be taken against them in accordance with the law, he said.
DGP Sunil Bansal went to the hospital in the capital to meet the injured policemen.
In the Assembly, BJP MPs created an uproar over the incident when opposition leader Jayanarayan Mishra demanded a decision from the president on alleged police excesses over party activists.
BJP State Chairman Samir Mohanty, BJP Chairman Yuva Morcha Irasish Acharya, party MPs and other senior leaders joined the march to demand a CBI investigation into the minister's assassination.
The health minister was shot dead last month, allegedly by a police officer who was arrested and dismissed from his service.
