Intel says it warned Odisha Police about drivers' protest, Opposition tears into govt

An intel report to Odisha police administration about the possibility of a massive protest in Bhubaneswar has brought serious Opposition backlash to the State government for failing to thwart the mass congregation of thousands of drivers in the Capital city.

The Special Branch of the State Intelligence department said that it had alerted the Police Commissioner, DCPs of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar and SPs of all the districts through an e-mail that some 40,000 agitators were expected to participate in the agitation in Bhubaneswar on April 18. 

“They (the drivers) have threatened that if their demands are not considered at lower PMG, they will split into small groups and may force their entry into the residence of CM, Odisha, Residence of Transport Minister, Assembly hall, State Secretariat etc. to put forth their grievances,” the Intel report said. 

“As the drivers are unruly, quite aggressive and unpredictable, they may indulge in illegal activities. Law and order situation is highly anticipated. On the above backdrop, request to remain extremely alert to the development, adequate precautionary and preventive measures may please be taken to contain the activities of the Mahasangha members to ward off any eventuality," read the letter. 

However, question arises as to why the police administration failed to take pre-emptive measures to maintain law and order situation despite warning by the Intelligence. 

The intel revelation meanwhile has prompted the Opposition parties to tear into the Odisha government and its police administration. 

BJP State general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan has made some shocking allegations regarding the development. As per the BJP leader, the agitation by the drivers was sponsored none other by the BJD government. 

“The demands of the drivers are justified and we have lent our support to them. But we oppose vehemently the way some anti-socials in the garb of agitators roamed around the city with lathis and intimidated commuters. We strongly condemn such dastardly act,” said Harichandan. 

“The April 18 incident has raised a big question mark over the existence of police administration. In fact, the sparse deployment of cops at various places turned them to mute spectators in the face of the protest and it seems that the government indirectly promoted the agitation. It is no exaggeration to say that the police administration and the Intelligence department have failed completely,” observed Harichandan. 

Targeting the BJD dispensation, Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja too ascribed the incidents of violence during the drivers’ protest to the failure of police administration and intelligence department. 

“We have sympathy for the drivers. At the same time, we condemn the way they staged their protest, causing a lot trouble to commuters,” the legislator added. 

In this regard, no reaction has been received from the State government as yet.