BHUBANESWAR : A swarm of bees swooped on a protest site near the official residence of senior IAS officer Bishnupada Sethi at Forest Park here forcing a group of Youth Congress activists as well as policemen and mediapersons to run helter-skelter on Monday. At least, 15 persons were reportedly stung by the bees.
The Congress workers were staging a demonstration demanding Sethi’s arrest in connection with the Bridge and Roof Company (India) Limited bribery case. The crowd and noise or some activity apparently disturbed a bee colony nearby as a result of which the stinging insects descended on the protesters.
The sudden attack caught everyone present there off-guard. As they ran for cover or lied down on the road, many activists along with police personnel were stung by the honey bees.
Police said the incident occurred between 1.30 pm and 2 pm when the party workers were heading towards the senior bureaucrat’s quarters near the Forest Park area here. Police had erected barricades on the road.
“We had planned the demonstration to demand the arrest of Bishnupada Sethi for his links with the Bridge and Roof bribery case. During our protest against corruption in the state, there was a sudden bee attack. While over 10 workers were injured in the incident, two were admitted to the hospital,” said Congress leader Yashir Nawaz.
Capital police station IIC Dayanidhi Nayak said, “About five to six police personnel were stung by the bees but none of them required medical attention in the hospital.”
After a brief halt, the protesters resumed their demonstration but were removed from the spot by the police.