Odisha BJP files FIRs against DGP and other cops; BJD launches counter-attack with gas price hike stir

The Odisha unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday lodged complaints against the Director General of Police (DGP), Twin City Commissioner of Police and Bhubaneswar DCP over the alleged police excesses on the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists on February 28. 

The saffron party has launched a state-wide agitation from today and started lodging complaints against the DGP, the Police Commissioner and the Bhubaneswar DCP across the State. In Bhubaneswar, such complaints have been lodged at Kharvel Nagar, Chandrasekharpur and Airfield police stations. 

The party said it would knock on the court’s door if the complaints are not registered at the police stations. 

Notably, on February 28, the BJYM activists launched Vidhan Sabha Gherao Abhiyan in Bhubaneswar as a mark of protest over Naba Das murder case and the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the State. As they were marching towards the Odisha Assembly, the police confronted them at Lower PMG, leading to a scuffle. Later, the police resorted to lathi charge to disperse protestors.

Later, the police arrested the BJYM members under Sections 307, 332, 333, 325, 323, 353, 147, 148, 294, 224, 436, 506 and 149 of the IPC.

“On February 28, over Naba Das murder case, the members of the BJYM gheraod the Odisha Assembly in a democratic and peaceful way. With an intention to divert the attention from the Naba Das murder case, they (BJD) sabotaged this in a planned manner with the help of the police,” alleged BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan. 

On the other hand, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today launched a counter-attack with the Biju Mahila Janata Dal members staging a demonstration in Bhubaneswar protesting against the recent hike in LPG cooking gas prices. 

The members of the conch party’s women's wing took out a massive rally which culminated in a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhawan by putting gas cylinders on road and cooking food.  

The price of a cook gas cylinder has been increased by Rs 50 and the BJD is protesting against this.

(Reported by Soumya Ranjan Sahu and Jagadish Das, OTV)