BHUBANESWAR: Police on Monday arrested two persons for allegedly threatening the Odisha president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Basant Panda at “gun-point”. The police later confirmed that the guns were actually cigarette lighters.
The incident occurred at about 11.30 am when Panda was in his office chamber. The duo - Pinak Mohanty and Sambit Panda - walked into his office and handed him a bunch of papers.
They were also holding two toy guns which initially appeared genuine. Soon the duo stepped out holding the fake guns which drew the attention of the party workers and a section of media persons were present there.
On being informed, Kharavela Nagar Police reached the BJP office and took the two into custody. Panda said the two threatened him at gun-point. “I suspect this is a conspiracy by my opponents,” he told The New Indian Express.
According to Panda, one of the two had met him on November 19 and sought financial assistance of `25 lakh for his father’s heart transplant operation. Panda had suggested him to seek help from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and assured to help them. However, what prompted the two to pull the stunt on Monday is yet to be ascertained.
Interestingly, despite recovering toy guns from the two persons, the police booked the duo under Section 25 of the Arms Act along with Sections 506 and 34 of IPC.After the incident, a 10-member delegation of BJP leaders met Odisha DGP Dr Rajendra Prasad Sharma and urged him to provide security at the party office. The police said they are mulling over the demands put forth by the saffron party leaders and steps will be taken accordingly.