Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police has suspended the personal security officer (PSO) of Titilagarh MLA Nabin Kumar Jain in connection with the alleged celebratory firing by the legislator during a procession on the occasion of Ram Navami in Balangir district yesterday.

Jain’s PSO Premchand Nag has been placed under suspension following an interrogation by senior officials of Odisha Police, including Inspector General of Police (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal, reports said.

As per reports, the Odisha Police initiated disciplinary action against Nag for not preventing the Titilagarh MLA from resorting to celebratory firing during the Ram Navami celebration.

The Titilagarh police in Balangiri have registered a case in this regard and launched a probe.

It is worth mentioning here that the MLA reportedly fired shots in the air using a gun during the Ram Navami procession at Titilagarh on Friday. A video of the incident later went viral on social media.

Jain, however, claimed that he fired from a toy gun to energise the crowd during the religious procession. The Balangir police, meanwhile, revealed that three shots were fired from a .32 Bore pistol during the Ram Navami procession.

“The police have seized the gun and initiated a probe into the alleged celebratory firing,” said Balangir Additional SP Himanshu Bhusan Behera.