BARIPADA: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Mayurbhanj was marred by violence as BJD workers allegedly chased and attacked BJP and JMM supporters for staging protest at Baripada on Friday.
Four persons including Suraj Suryavanshi, convener of BJP State Yuva Morcha and son of Deputy Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Bishnu Sethi, sustained grievous injuries in the attack.
The other injured persons are a BJP worker of Bhadrak district, a female party cadre of Mayurbhanj and block president of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Madhusudan Sahu. All of them have been admitted to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital.
The ruling party workers reportedly attacked the BJP and JMM supporters for waving black flags at the CM. Videos of the opposition party workers being punched and slapped in presence of police personnel went viral on social media soon after the attack. Political observers here condemned the attack and said it was undemocratic of the local BJD leaders and workers to assault the agitating opposition party supporters.
Baripada sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) KK Hariprasad said the incident took place after the CM left Mayurbhanj. Police have arrested three BJD workers for the attack. A case under Sections 341, 323, 294, 506, 186 and 34 of the IPC has been registered and further investigation is underway.
On the day, over 25 BJP workers were detained by police at Baripada for waiving black flags at the CM. Anjani Soren, JMM State president and sister of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, along with the some party workers were detained by Bangiriposi police. Several JMM workers later blocked NH-18 protesting the district administration’s action. BJP Mahila Morcha workers alleged that they had come to meet the CM over Mamita Meher murder case but police detained them. As many as 16 platoons of police force were deployed for the CM’s visit to Mayurbhanj.