BHUBANESWAR: Congress workers on Wednesday clashed with police near Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence during a protest over increasing crimes against women as well as attack on dalits.
At least 250 youth Congress workers attempted to march towards the chief minister’s residence along AG Square-Raj Bhavan road but police prevented them for proceeding further. The protesters started hurling eggs and tomatoes but the cops managed to evacuate them from the spot. Some mediapersons who were present at the spot were hit by the eggs hurled by the agitators.
“Our protests were regarding four pivotal issues - safety and security of women in the wake of the gangrape of a college student in Gopalpur, deteriorating law and order situation, rising crimes, and contractors of other states being awarded major construction projects leaving Odia Asmita in tatters,” Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) general secretary, Yashir Nawaz said.
Police said more than 50 protesters were taken into preventive custody but released later in the day. “The Congress workers were prevented from creating any law and order situation and evacuated from the spot,” said an officer of Capital police station.