Jagdish Tytler booked for Odisha violence

Bhubaneswar - Senior Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler, Niranjan Patnaik and several others were on Saturday booked by police in connection with a clash between party supporters and policemen during a rally that left over 260 people injured in Bhubaneswar.

“Different cases have been registered against several Congress leaders including State Congress in-charge Jagdish Tytler and Niranjan Patnaik on various charges pertaining to Thursday’s violence,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nitinjeet Singh said.

Reacting to the cases filed, Niranjan Patnaik, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President said, “Though police is acting at the behest of BJD government headed by Naveen Patnaik, we are ready to face the police case.”

Mr Singh said five cases have so far been registered at Capital police station and Kharavel Nagar police station while police intensified efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the violence.

Cases were filed for various offences like criminal conspiracy, rioting, causing grievous injury, endangering lives of others, outraging modesty and mischief to destroy under different sections of IPC and Prevention of Destruction of Public Property Act, police said.

While over 34 people have so far been arrested for the violence and attack on a woman constable, who was critically injured, more arrests are likely after identification of culprits with the help of CCTV footage, according to Assistant Commissioner of Police Nihar Das.

Thousands of Congress workers clashed with police on MG Road on Thursday while trying to picket the State Assembly building demanding resignation of Mr Patnaik over the Coalgate row leaving around 260 people, including 60 police personnel injured.