Agitating student Congress activists clash with police

Bhubaneswar: Tension ran high near lower PMG after the students' wing of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee clashed with police during a demonstration over unemployment issue here on Monday.

Trouble erupted after the student Congress activists were restricted by police from marching towards the State Secretariat. As a result a scuffle broke out between the agitators and cops, sources said.

"Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is playing with the future of students and youths in the State. We are fighting for the students as 42 lakh youth are unemployed," said President of the Odisha unit of students' wing of Congress Itish Pradhan.

Pradhan further stated that the students' wing of the Congress will intensify its agitation in coming days as no step is being taken by the State and the Centre for providing employment to the youths.

Following the scuffle, over 50 activists of the Students' Congress wing were taken into preventive custody by Commissionerate Police.