BHUBANESWAR: Tension ran high at Raj Mahal Square here on Monday after activists of students’ wing of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee clashed with police during their protest march towards Naveen Niwas.A pitched battle ensued when students of Diploma in Medical Laboratory Technology (DMLT) and Diploma in Radiology Therapy (DMRT) supported by National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) took out a huge rally from Congress Bhawan and attempted to march towards the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to press for their demand of providing employment to them. They sought fulfilment of their five-point charter of demands including employment and removal of private players from the Government-run health institutions.
When the police personnel cordoned off the student agitators at Raj Mahal Square, they clashed with them and later ransacked a police van parked near the spot. The agitators also burnt an effigy of the Chief Minister.At least four student activists and two police personnel sustained minor injuries in the clash. A girl student, who sustained serious injuries, was taken to Capital Hospital. To prevent law and order situation, police detained around 50 Congress activists.
“A week back, we had announced to gherao Naveen Niwas seeking fulfilment of our demands. We will intensify the protest in the coming days and if our demands are not met within seven days, we will resort to egg pelting on Chief Minister’s convoy,” student Congress president Itish Pradhan warned.
The BJD students’ wing also hit back at the Congress activists and said the party is playing with the career of medical students to safeguard its own political interest.