Congress’ Odisha Assembly gherao turns violent; 12 cops injured, protestors forcefully dispersed
BHUBANESWAR: The Mahatma Gandhi Marg here turned into a battlefield as hundreds of Congress workers clashed with police during the party’s Odisha Assembly gherao protest on Thursday.
Protestors resorted to stone pelting and hurling of chairs after they broke the security barricades prompting the cops to go in for baton-charge to disperse them.
Police deployed water cannons and teargas shells to deter protestors from proceeding towards the State Assembly which is currently in session.
Congress leaders including Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das, state-in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Mohammad Moquim were arrested.
At least 12 police personnel were injured in the stone pelting by the protestors. They are currently undergoing treatment. Some mediapersons also sustained injuries.
Congress leaders claimed several party workers sustained injuries in the police lathi-charge when they were protesting at the spot.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said the situation is currently under control.
DCP Meena said the protestors attempted to set a police vehicle on fire but the driver managed to thwart the incident.
The Congress had earlier called for Assembly gherao demanding constitution of a House Committee to investigate growing crimes against women.
14 Congress MLAs have been suspended from the Assembly for seven days for their alleged unruly behaviour over the same demand.
Earlier in the day, senior party leaders of Congress took out a rally from Ram Mandir Square and converged at Lower PMG Square where a public meeting was held. The party leaders slammed the BJP government for growing crimes against women during their speeches.
After the meeting, the party workers tried to break the police barricades to head towards the State Assembly.
Protestors broke the first barricade and tried to push through the second layer of security cordon when police baton-charged them.
The Congress workers dispersed but returned with stones and chairs which they hurled at the huge posse of police personnel deployed to keep the situation under control.
Police had to use water cannons and teargas shells to disperse the Congress activists from the protest site subsequently.
After an hour of violent protest, the police managed to evacuate the protestors from Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
