BHUBANESWAR: A day after violence marked the Vidhan Sabha gherao programme of Congress, Odisha police on Friday booked senior party leaders as well as activists for rioting, assault on public servants and a host of other charges.
Police refused to name anyone but said “all Congress leaders and workers present at the protest site have been booked.’ A total of three cases were registered by Capital police station on the day over the series of protests on Wednesday and Thursday.
Charges under sections 189 (2), 191 (2) (rioting), 126 (2) (wrongful) restraint), 121(1) voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant), 324 (4) (mischief causing damage), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 190 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and 96 of Odisha Urban Police Act were pressed against Congress leaders and workers for Thursday’s violence.
A separate case was registered under section 327 of BNS for use of fire or explosive substances, as an attempt was made by to set a police vehicle on fire. About 15 policemen were injured when the protesters resorted to stone pelting and hurling of chairs during the Vidhan Sabha gherao. Several Congress activists were also hurt in the police lathi-charge. The third case was for violation of prohibitory orders and demonstration outside the Odisha Assembly’s eastern gate by Congress workers on Wednesday.
Police booked the party workers under sections 132 (assault or use of criminal force against public servant to deter him from discharging his duty), 189 (2) (unlawful assembly), 190 (joint liability of every member of an unlawful assembly), 221 (obstructing public servant) and 296 (obscene act) of BNS along with section 96 (penalty for contravening regulations) of Odisha Urban Police (OUP) Act.
The police, however, did not spell out if it would move to arrest the senior Congress leaders for the violence.
After visiting injured policemen at Capital Hospital on Thursday, DGP YB Khurania had asserted stringent action would be initiated against those hurting the policemen.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said, three cases have been registered and action will be initiated against the accused as per the offence they committed.