BHUBANESWAR/KENDRAPARA:As public anger against police lathicharge on demonstrators at Kendrapara mounted amidst further expose on self-styled Godman Sarathi Baba, a worried State Government immediately acted by transferring the Superintendent of Police Satish Gajbhiye.
The transfer order came as the situation spilled out of control after police lathicharge on agitators led by district BJP president Duryodhan Sahu at Tinmuhani square at Kendrapara earlier in the day demanding the arrest of the Baba for his alleged escapades.
Gajbhiye, shunted out to the police headquarters, has been replaced by Vigilance SP Nitinjit Singh as the Kendrapara SP. Besides, Inspector General of Police R P Koche has been asked to immediately proceed to Kendrapara and camp there till normalcy is restored. A team from Crime Branch has already reached Kendrapara to start investigation into alleged escapades of the Baba.
Police have beefed up security outside the house of the girl, who allegedly stayed with the Baba in a hotel at Hyderabad in the first week of July, here. A group of agitators had staged protests in front of her house in Paradip demanding action against the Baba following which her father Bhagabat Mallik sought police protection for his family members on Friday.
Meanwhile, the BJP protested the police lathicharge on its workers at Kendrapara at a public meeting at Ram Mandir square here in the presence of State unit president K V Singhdeo and senior leader Bijay Mohapatra. Singhdeo warned that the agitation will be intensified unless Sarathi Baba is arrested.
Alleging that many BJD leaders frequented the Sarathi Baba’s ashram, Mohapatra criticised the State Government for promoting it as a tourist destination.
A BJP team, led by Singhdeo and comprising Mohapatra and other senior leaders, also left for Kendrapara to make an on the spot assessment of the situation. The BJP has decided to protest against the police lathicharge on its workers by organising demonstrations at all the district headquarters towns on Saturday.
A Congress team, led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan also visited Kendrapara on Friday.
Meanwhile, the All- Odisha Lawyers’ Association and the Orissa High Court Bar Association have announced a day-long strike on August 10 against police excesses on demonstrators and assault on lawyers at Kendrapara.
The associations have demanded suspension of the SP and a judicial probe into matter.
The Orissa HC Bar Association on Friday passed a resolution condemning the police action and announced that a fact-finding team would visit Kendrapara on Monday.
All other bars in Cuttack will also join the protest, HC Bar secretary B K Ragada said.