Odisha student's death: Scuffle in BJD's protest, police use water cannons, fire tear gas shells

Bhubaneswar: Several BJD workers and leaders, including two former ministers, were injured in a scuffle with police personnel here on Wednesday during a party's protest over the death of a college student, who set herself on fire in Odisha's Balasore district. The BJD’s demonstration turned violent near the Lower PMG Square when its workers and leaders breached a barricade to march towards the state secretariat, Lok Seva Bhavan, and clashed with the police personnel, an officer said.

The police used water cannons and fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitating BJD workers , he said. "BJD workers were later arrested and taken away from the agitation site," the officer said. Among the injured persons were former ministers Pranab Prakash Das and Priti Ranjan Gharai. Gharai was initially taken to Capital Hospital here and later shifted to the ICU of the Utkal Hospital, Bhubaneswar, a party functionary said.

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Das was taken to a private hospital, he said. The BJD held the protest, demanding a judicial inquiry into the death of the college student, who set herself on fire over alleged denial of justice in a sexual harassment incident. Security was strengthened at the Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar in view of the BJD's protest over the college student's death in Balasore district.

Security was also tightened in other government buildings in the city, including Rajiv Bhavan and Kharavela Bhavan, which are located in the vicinity of the state secretariat, police said. Police Commissioner S Dev Datt Singh was present near the Lok Seva Bhavan to oversee the security arrangements. Earlier, employees were allowed to enter the secretariat after thorough verification of their identities, officials said. Entry of visitors has also been restricted, they said, adding that people having prior appointments were, however, being issued entry passes on the recommendation of the departments concerned.