Mahanga Double Murder: Youth Congress Activists Demand Jena’s Ouster, Clash With Cops

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Youth Congress activists came out all guns blazing against State Law Minister Pratap Jena over the Mahanga double murder case and clashed with the police in the Capital City on Friday.

Demanding the immediate removal of Jena, the party workers took out a massive bike rally from Congress Bhawan and marched to ghearo the official residence of Jena at Forest Park.

However, they were prevented by the police who barricaded the road near Sishu Bhavan square. This was followed by hundreds of Youth Congress workers clashing with the police to break the barricades. They shouted slogans against Jena and burnt his effigy alleging the Minister’s complicity in the gruesome double murder case.

“If Jena doesn’t resign on his own he should be removed from the portfolio. He should be arrested immediately and strong legal action should be taken against him,” a protestor said.

Earlier, Opposition BJP had slammed the ruling BJD and demanded the ouster of Jena over the brutal murder of party leader Kulamani Baral and his associate in Mahanga on January 3.

Soon after the murder, the Cuttack police had registered a case against 13 people, including Jena for their alleged involvement in the double murder. The Law Minister and others had been booked under Sections 302 (murder), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 120-B (punishment of criminal conspiracy), 506 (criminal intimidation), 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.