BHUBANESWAR: BJP and BJD workers faced off against each other at Jharsuguda town on Sunday over death of cook of health minister Naba Kishore Das. Police had to detain several of them to bring the situation under control.
Members of both parties had announced that they will stage a dharna in front of Jharsuguda police station on Sunday. After knowing about these separate protests, the police had enforced section 144 of CrPC from Jhanda Chowk to Dharmasala Chowk prohibiting any gatherings. However, the BJD and BJP workers entered Jhanda Chowk shouting slogans despite the prohibitory order.
BJP leaders demanded a CBI probe into the death case. “We had informed the police about our dharna in front of Jharsuguda police station on Sunday between 9am and 1pm. But the BJD workers under the guidance of a leader came to Jhanda Chowk to create disturbance. BJP’s voice cannot be suppressed in this issue. Jharsuguda people know the truth,” said Dinesh Jain, a BJP leader.
BJD leader Tapas Ray Chowdhury said the BJP is making a mountain out of a molehill. “They want to make this small issue big. We oppose these theatrics of the BJP. They should not politicise the death of a youth,” he added.
