Bhubaneswar, March 27 More than 50 people including many police officials sustained injuries as a face-off ensued between the supporters of the Congress and security forces during the protest rally over women safety here on Thursday.
It is worth mentioning that a scuffle broke out between Congress workers and the police when the latter stopped the protestors marching towards Odisha Assembly to gherao it over rising cases of crime against women in the state.
Some angry protestors threw stones and chairs at the security forces who also resorted to cane-charge to disperse the Congress workers.
The police also used water cannons and tear gas to disperse the Congress supporters in the PMG area.
The area became a battleground for a few minutes.
The Congress leaders alleged that the police have brutally assaulted the Congress workers who sustained serious injuries on head, limbs and other body parts.
“They (police personnel) committed brutal assault as per the instructions of the state government. We were holding a peaceful rally to Gherao the Assembly, but the police brutally assaulted the Congress workers. Around 40 to 50 Congress workers including women sustained serious injuries due to the police assault,” Congress MLA Ramesh Jena told IANS.
He also added that the injured party workers are getting treatment at private and government hospitals. He also stated that many workers are under the custody of police. As per reports, around 15 police personnel have also sustained injuries.
Commissioner of Police Suresh Dev Datta Singh and other senior police officials met the injured police personnel at the hospital.
Speaking to media persons, the commissioner of Police Singh said that it was the duty of the police to safeguard the assembly building and other constitutional bodies during the political protest on Wednesday which it discharged.
“Some people became unruly and to control them water cannons, tear gas was used by police. Some protestors engaged in unruly activities including stone pelting and attempting to set a vehicle on fire. Police used force in a controlled manner and with restraint. Strict action will be taken against those engaged in unruly activities on the basis of CCTV footage,” added Singh.
Some media personnel also got injured while reporting the protest rally on Wednesday.
It is pertinent here to mention that since March 7, during the second phase of the Assembly session, opposition congress members are holding protests demanding formation of a house committee to investigate the alleged rise in atrocity against women in the state.
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