Jharsuguda: Tension ran high after BJD and BJP workers defied Section-144 orders and scuffled with each other in their bid to stage separate demonstrations over the death of Lalit Kumar Das, 22, the cook of Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das here, Sunday. The workers of both parties beat up each other with lathis and hurled tomatoes at each other. Some BJP workers were injured during the scuffle. Police arrested over 50 persons including local leaders and workers of both the parties. However, all were later released on personal bond.
The incident occurred after BJP leaders alleged that Lalit has been murdered and decided to stage a dharna outside the Town police station demanding action against the minister. They had earlier demanded action be initiated against Das. Opposing their move, members of the ‘Sachetan Nagarik Manch’, a citizens’ forum, had decided to stage a parallel dharna over their demand to execute the FIR of the deceased father against the BJP leaders.
Faced with the complex situation, the district administration had denied permission for all sorts of agitation by both the groups and clamped Section-144 from Dharmasala Square to Jhanda Square in this town
The sub-collector and sub-divisional Magistrate of Jharsuguda, Dayamaya Padhi, in his order stated that section 144 of CrPC is being enforced in front of the Jharsuguda Town police station and from Jhanda chowk to Dharmasala chowk in the town from 6.00am to 6.00pm Sunday to control the law and order situation. The district administration also prohibited any demonstration, agitation, rally or dharana in the places mentioned above.
The move came after the BJP, led by Dinesh Kumar Jain, announced that the party will stage a peaceful dharna in front of Jharsuguda police station demanding CBI probe into the death of Lalit. The ruling BJD, led by Tapas Ray Choudhary on the other hand organised a demonstration demanding investigation as per complaint of the deceased’s father.
Notably, Lalit, a resident of Dhenkanal district was staying in the staff quarters at the minister’s residence here along with his elder brother Biranchi Sahu. He was found hanging in his quarters, April 17. Jharsuguda Town police had seized Lalit’s body and handed over it to his family members after the post-mortem the same evening.
The BJP raised doubts over the hasty manner in which the police completed the post-mortem in the night and handed over the body to the victim’s family. Jharsuguda BDP Prasanna Patel, ASP Lambodar Buda, IIC Amitabh Panda, Sarangdhar Panigrahi and two platoon of police force were deployed at the spot and kept a close watch on the unfolding situation.