Odisha: Lady cop accuses Opposition leader of manhandling, BJD seeks scalp

The officer said she was deployed at the collectorate during the protest by BJP workers led by Mishra.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly Jayanarayan Mishra  (File photo| EPS)
Leader of Opposition in Assembly Jayanarayan Mishra (File photo| EPS)

SAMBALPUR/BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra on Wednesday landed in a soup after a lady police officer accused him of manhandling during a party protest meeting. The alleged incident took place in front of Sambalpur collector’s office when BJP workers were jostling with police during a protest over deteriorating law and order in the state.

Basing on officer Anita Pradhan’s complaint, a case was booked against Mishra. Pradhan is inspector in charge of Dhanupali police station. A counter case has also been registered by the LoP.In her complaint, Pradhan alleged Mishra abused her as well as pushed and slapped her. The officer said she was deployed at the collectorate during the protest by BJP workers led by Mishra.

“We prevented the woman workers from entering the collector’s office. When the male BJP workers took the lead, policemen came in front to stop them. The female officers including me were making our way out when I accidentally ran into the LoP,” she said.

The officer said Mishra reportedly asked her to identity herself and when she did, he abused her. “When I protested, he first threatened to hit me and eventually pushed me and slapped me in presence of the public, mediapersons and other police personnel,” the IIC alleged. Mishra refuted the allegations and said he got information that police were harassing women BJP workers which he went to resolve.

“But the IIC told me that I was speaking a lot against the police and pushed me. Since allegations were levelled against the police, they hatched a conspiracy against me. I don’t even know the IIC,” he claimed.
Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar said he has sought a report over the incident. The matter will be inquired and action will be taken as per law, he added.  

The incident snowballed into a political controversy with BJD seeking removal of Mishra as LoP for allegedly manhandling a lady police while BJP said it exposed state of policing in the state.

“But the IIC told me that I was speaking a lot against the police and pushed me. Since allegations were levelled against the police, they hatched a conspiracy against me. I don’t even know the IIC,” he claimed. Sambalpur SP B Gangadhar said he has sought a report over the incident.  The matter will be inquired and action will be taken as per law, he added.

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