Bhubaneswar: The activists of students' wing of Congress on Friday scuffled with police during a demonstration in Bhubaneswar alleging links of ruling-BJD with arrested ‘conman’ Jyoti Ranjan Beura alias ‘Golden Baba.
Alleging nexus between city mayor Ananta Narayan Jena and Beura, several activists of Odisha Pradesh Chhatra Congress staged a demonstration and tried to gherao Niwas Niwas, the official residence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
However, trouble erupted after the agitators tried to break the barricade put up by Commissionerate Police near Sishu Bhawan leading to a scuffle. Later, the activists of students' wing of Congress hurled eggs and tomatoes at the police personnel. Several activists were subsequently taken into preventive custody.
Demanding investigation into the alleged links and arrest of Jena, the activists also burnt the effigies and posters of several BJD leaders including Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, ministers- Debi Mishra, Ashok Panda, mayor and other leaders.
"We want the arrest of Mayor Ananta Jena, BJD leader Chinmay Sahu and other political leaders who have links with Golden Baba. If our demands are not fulfilled, we will launch a State-wide agitation," threatened Pradhan.
Beura was arrested by Commissionerate Police on December 31 in connection with a cheque fraud case.
Later, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the State Crime Branch on January 4 took up the case pertaining to several financial transactions and fraud registered against Golden Baba in various police stations.