BHUBANESWAR: In what was an eerie replay of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident of Uttar Pradesh, Chilika MLA and suspended BJD leader Prasanta Kumar Jagadev on Saturday rammed his car into a crowd at Banpur, about 90 km from here.
At least 20 persons, including 10 police personnel, were injured when the MLA drove his Land Rover Discovery into a large gathering at the local block office where the block chairperson election was underway. Notorious for his high-handedness and a spate of criminal cases under his belt, Jagadev faced the fury of the mob which turned violent and attacked him. He sustained injuries and was shifted to a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.
The injured included 10 police personnel, six civilians and two journalists. Banpur police station inspector-in-charge Rashmi Ranjan Sahoo also suffered injuries when he attempted to stop the speeding vehicle of Jagadev. They were all hospitalised.
The ruling BJD, visibly embarrassed by the MLA’s roguish act, termed the whole episode as ‘barbaric’ and said stringent action would be initiated against him. It all started when Jagadev arrived at the Banpur block office for the election. Police sources said, the MLA disembarked from his car, picked up an argument with some locals as well as workers of Opposition parties and even threatened that he would run his vehicle over them if they attempted to block his way.
Police personnel present at the spot requested the MLA not to proceed till the block office in his car as the area was crowded but to no avail. He then drove his vehicle straight into the crowd leaving 20 persons hurt. “Of the injured, three sustained serious wounds. All were rushed to the hospital,” Central Range IG Narasingha Bhol told The New Indian Express.
Enraged, people present at the spot attacked Jagadev. He was thrashed with sticks and lathis. The mob then turned its ire on to the car. The MLA, who was bleeding, was rescued by police. He has been booked under various criminal charges including attempt to murder. “Preliminary investigation suggests that the MLA ignored the pleas of the senior officers not to proceed further in his car. He deliberately hit the people with his vehicle on the spot,” said IG Bhol.
Once he is discharged, he will be arrested and produced before a court, he added. In a bid to avoid any further flare-up in the situation, police have imposed curfew in Banpur area.
In Lakhimpur rerun, MLA rams car into crowd
The IG visited Banpur police station later in the day and held a meeting with Khurda SP and other officers. On basis of the complaint by a policeman, Banpur police registered a case against Prashanta under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 323, 324, 325, 326, 332, 333 and 353 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Police is also investigating if the MLA was driving under influence of alcohol when he committed the unruly act. Last year, in September, Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik had suspended him after he allegedly thrashed a BJP leader in Khurda district’s Balugaon area. At least 13 criminal cases - including outraging modesty of a woman - are pending against the legislator. Police have filed charge sheet in seven cases.