Cuttack: Opposition Congress in Odisha is planning to stage a demonstration in front of the office of the Director General of Police here on March 4 to protest what they called "unlawful" arrest of youth leaders in connection with hurling eggs at chief minister's convoy on February 19 at Bhubaneswar.
Youth Congress leaders had intercepted the chief minister's cavalcade in the capital city last month and had pelted eggs. While two policemen were suspended in this connection for dereliction of duty, police have arrested at least 15 YC leaders booking them under section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC for allegedly attacking a cop in the melee.
PCC president Prasad Harichandan said booking the youth leaders under the harsh section without any relevant evidence conclusively prove that the ruling party was trying to suppress the voice of the opposition by brute police force.
Had there been an attempt to strangulate a policeman in the scuffle of the day, why the victim policeman had not made an immediate complaint, Harichandan wondered adding that police had booked YC leaders under attempt to murder charge without even sending the victim for a medical examination.
Party sources said the demonstration in front of the DGP's office on Wednesday would be attended among others by a six-member action committee comprising the PCC chief, former party presidents Jaydev Jena and Niranjan Patnaik, LoP Narasingha Mishra and senior party leaders Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and Chiranjibi Biswal.