FIR Filed Against Congress Leaders Over Violent Protest in Bhubaneswar

Police Action Following Congress Protest

Bhubaneswar: An FIR has been lodged against 11 prominent Congress figures, including the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das, along with 5,000 unnamed party affiliates, following disturbances during the 'Vidhan Sabha Gherao' event.

The Congress organized this protest on March 27 to voice their concerns over the increasing violence against women and girls. The demonstration resulted in injuries to several individuals, including law enforcement officers.

The FIR was filed on March 28 at the Capital Police Station, based on a report from inspector-in-charge Dayanidhi Nayak. However, the specifics of the case were disclosed to the media only on Wednesday.

In addition to Bhakta Charan Das, other senior Congress leaders named in the FIR include Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam, and MLAs Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Pabitra Saunta, Sagar Charan Das, Prafulla Chandra Pradhan, Mangu Khila, C S Raazen Ekka, Md Moquim, and Suresh Chandra Routray.

The charges against these leaders and the 5,000 unnamed Congress members include unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint, assaulting a public servant, and criminal intimidation.

As of now, at least three individuals have been apprehended in connection with this incident, and the investigation is ongoing, according to a police officer from the Capital Police station.