Bhubaneswar: The Twin City Commissionerate Police has registered cases against around 5,000 Congress workers and leaders in connection with the “violent scuffle” with police at Gandhi Marg in Lower PMG area in Bhubaneswar during the protest rally organised by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on March 27. 

The Congress leaders include OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, Congress MLAs Tara Prasad Bahinipati, Ramesh Chandra Jena, Rama Chandra Kadam, Pabitra Saunta, Sagar Charan Das, Prafulla Chandra Pradhan, Mangu Khila, CS Raazen Ekka, Ex-MLAs Md Mokim and Suresh Chandra Routray.

The Congress had called for a rally to gherao Odisha Vidhan Sabha in protest against the alleged rise in the cases of atrocities against women in the state under the BJP rule.

DCP Bhubaneswar, Jagmohan Meena, on Wednesday told IANS that so far three persons have been arrested in the case.

The DCP further stated that police will take action against those protestors who will be found involved in the violence during the course of the investigation.

As per the FIR, on March 27, the members of Congress from various parts of the state came to Gandhi Marg in procession from different sides of Bhubaneswar City.

It added that a meeting was organised at the Gandhi Marg, where the Congress leaders reportedly gave anti-government speeches and made inflammatory speeches.

The police said instigated by such inflammatory speeches, the workers gathered there turned violent and tried to break the police cordon and move towards the state Assembly building.

“They also turned violent and pelted eggs, stones, tomatoes, and plastic chairs towards the police,” an official said.

He added that the police first warned the Congress workers not to take the law into their own hands, but they did not listen.

He said that police later used water cannons, tear gas to disperse the “violent” workers.

On March 27, more than 50 people, including many police officials, sustained injuries during the face-off between the supporters of the Congress and security forces during the protest rally in Bhubaneswar over women’s safety. (IANS)