Amid widespread protests and criticisms that the Odisha Police are biased and harsher on Opposition political parties at the behest of ruling party, the Odisha Police on Wednesday denied the charges reiterating that policemen have been asked to be neutral and impartial.
This statement came from Additional DG B. N. Jha after receiving a memorandum from top Congress leaders of the State, who had gathered here along with thousands of party workers to protest against police highhandedness, particularly against booking of some Youth Congress leaders under section 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC.
The YC activists had intercepted the Chief Minister’s cavalcade at Bhubaneswar last month and had pelted eggs onto the car of the Chief Minister. Congress leaders claim that the YC
leaders were trying to demonstrate and draw the attention of the Chief Minister towards the growing unemployment situation in the State.
As planned, almost all the senior Congress leaders of the State under the leadership of PCC chief Prasad Harichandan started arriving in the city along with their respective supporters
since morning. Around noon, a massive rally marched towards the police headquarters from Mata Matha after holding a protest rally. Anticipating the situation, the city police had made heavy deployment of force in the city.
Sources said around 30 platoons of police supervised by hundreds of officers had thrown a three-tier security around the police headquarters. Later a six-member team of leaders headed by PCC chief submitted a protest memorandum to Jha, who is in charge of law and order wing of the State police.
Show of strength
Congress leaders threatened that the Wednesday’s gathering in Cuttack is certainly a show of strength and unity of the party and if the State Police continue with it prejudicial stance, similar demonstrations shall be held across the State in future.
Speaking to newsmen after the Congress demonstration, Mr. Jha said the Bhubaneswar matter is already in court’s jurisdiction and during investigations it would be clear whether cases have
been registered under appropriate sections of relevant laws or not.
