8 BJP Workers Held In Odisha’s Bhadrak For Scuffle With Police Over OBC Reservation

As many as eight members of the Bhadrak district unit BJP were arrested on Friday for their alleged involvement in the scuffle with police personnel outside the district Collector’s office while protesting over the non-reservation of seats for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the forthcoming Panchayat elections in the State on Thursday.

Sources said the arrests were made on the basis of the footage captured on the CCTV camera installed at the Collectorate. Further investigation into the case is underway.

“We examined the CCTV footage from all angles and so far managed to arrest eight persons who were identified. All of them have been forwarded to a court,” said Balasore Additional SP, Jatin Panda.

Notably, several activists of the saffron party had gheraoed the Collectorate and demanded to meet the district Collector over the allegations that the BJD-led Odisha Government was depriving the backward classes in the State of their Constitutional rights.

Police officials deployed at the Collectorate refused them permission following which the BJP members attempted to barge into the office premises by breaking the barricades. This triggered a scuffle between the members of the saffron party and the police. Some activists even tried to break the main gate of the Collectorate and allegedly vandalised many vehicles parked inside the premises of the Collector’s office.

Upon receiving information, the Bhadrak SP along with a police contingent had rushed to the spot and brought the law and order situation under control.