UMERKOTE: Tension flared up in Jharigaon on Friday after hundreds of BJP workers staged protest outside the local police station demanding immediate release of a party leader detained in connection with the egg attack on Nabarangpur MP Ramesh Majhi’s vehicle.
Nearly 400 supporters of Kuna Tiwari took out a rally and gheraoed Jharigaon police station protesting the detention of the BJP leader. Tiwari had joined BJP after being suspended from BJD for anti-party activities last year. On the day, BJD workers also gheraoed the police station demanding strict action against Tiwari.
On Thursday, eggs were hurled at the Nabarangpur MP’s vehicle in Jharigaon’s Ichhapur village where the BJD leader had gone to campaign for party candidates ahead of the three-tier panchayat elections.
Sources said some villagers carrying lathis chased the MP’s car when he was on campaign trail in Ichhapur. They also blocked the road and hurdled eggs at Majhi’s car and other vehicles participating in his motorcade. The villagers were reportedly angry at the MP over a past incident. They had invited Majhi to inaugurate the new panchayat building but the MP failed to attend the event.
On Thursday night, police detained Tiwari suspecting his involvement in the attack on Majhi’s vehicle. However, BJP leader’s supporters laid siege to the police station the next morning and blocked the Jharigaon-Umerkote road.
As the situation went out of control, Umerkote sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Dinesh Nayak rushed to Jharigaon police station with additional force. Former MP and BJP’s State vice-president Balabhadra Majhi also held a discussion with in-charge IIC of Jharigaon Natabar Nanda over the incident. On Friday evening, police released Tiwari after he submitted an undertaking.
Criticising the attack on Majhi’s vehicle, BJD leaders of the district alleged that it was the handiwork of BJP. Apprehending defeat in the ensuing panchayat election, the local BJP leaders are resorting to violence, they alleged.