BHUBANESWAR: A delegation of Congress leaders led by former president of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Jaydev Jena on Thursday met Director General of Police Sanjeev Marik here to register the party’s protest in the alleged police highhandedness on villagers of Belbahali in Keonjhar district.
The delegation registered its protest against the massive police deployment in and around the village and indiscriminate arrest of innocent people.
Jena said at least 116 persons, including 63 women have been arrested after the July 7 clash between the agitating villagers and the police. He accused the police of deliberately delaying in submitting the case diary of the arrested people to the court. However, 74 people, including the 63 women have been granted bail this week.
Jena said after the meeting with DGP, police deployment in the village has been relaxed. The former minister said the agitating people are not anti-police but their concern over the proposed bridge on river Kusei should be sympathetically addressed by the State Government.
At least 20 people, including a block development officer (BDO) and seven police personnel, were injured in the clash when villagers near Anandpur turned violent.
The BJP has also extended its support to the demand of Belbahali villagers demanding realignment of the proposed river bridge.