Several cops injured in clash with BJP members in Odisha

Several Odisha police personnel and Bharatiya Janata Party supporters were injured and vehicles of the cops were damaged as saffron party workers fought a pitched battle with the force during a march to the assembly.

Hundreds of activists under the banner of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha staged the agitation on Tuesday demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the murder case of health minister Naba Kishore Das and the alleged deteriorating law and order situation.

The Mahatma Gandhi Marg in front of the assembly building turned into a battlefield when the police stopped the BJP activists who broke barricades erected by the force. Many were seen scaling the barricades.

The police claimed that the agitators hurled water bottles, eggs and stones at the cops who then used batons to disperse the crowd.

Several security personnel and political workers were injured in the scuffle.

Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Prateek Singh said around 10 police personnel including Assistant Commissioner of Police Amitav Mohapatra suffered injuries in the melee.

At least five police vehicles were damaged in the clash, the DCP said.

The police detained over 100 protesters and action will be taken against them as per law, he said.

DGP Sunil Bansal visited the Capital Hospital to meet the injured police personnel.

In the assembly, BJP MLAs created a ruckus over the incident as Leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra demanded a ruling from the chair on the alleged police excess on the party activists.

BJP state president Samir Mohanty, BJP Yuva Morcha president Irasish Acharya, party MLAs and other senior leaders participated in the march demanding a CBI investigation into the minister's murder.

The health minister was shot dead last month allegedly by a police officer who was arrested and dismissed from the service.