Bhubaneswar: Seeking action against erring police personnel, who allegedly resorted to baton charge inside Congress Bhawan, the members of the party’s students’ wing today staged a protest outside the DCP office in Bhubaneswar.
Moreover, the activists also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.
Activists of the Congress-backed NSUI clashed with the police in Bhubaneswar on Friday as they tried to gherao the Vidhan Sabha, demanding the arrest of minister DS Mishra over the teacher’s murder in Kalahandi district.
A fight broke out as police tried to stop the NSUI activists who were on the way to the Vidhan Sabha.
The agitators, however, knocked down the police barricades on MG Road and hurled eggs and tomatoes at them. In return, police baton-charged the protesters, which left many injured.
The situation further aggravated when a section of the NSUI activists allegedly attempted to set a police van on fire. The blaze was immediately doused by the fire brigade personnel present at the spot, officials said.
Amid the baton charge, the protesters ran for safety into the nearby Congress Bhavan, the party’s state headquarters. Chasing them, the police also entered the building and was seen kicking the doors, which were locked from inside.
Bhubaneswar’s Deputy Commissioner of Police US Dash said the police had to baton charge the activists to prevent them from setting the police van on fire.
The officer, however, said that he had no knowledge of police entering the Congress Bhavan.
The opposition BJP condemned the police entering the headquarters of a political party, Congress Bhavan.