The five-hour-long protest across the State organised by the BJD against the hike in fuel prices by the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre turned violent at several places.
Roads were blocked by burning tyres and at places like Ram Mandir, Raj Mahal, CRP Square and Patia Square, where hooligans with wooden staffs threatened women, children with dire consequences. People were harassed and humiliated by unwanted elements as the police remained mute spectators.
At several places, the party activists damaged cars, scooters even bi-cycle as people were unaware about such a hartal and came out on the road with their vehicles.
At AG square, a SUV sporting a BJP flag was vandalised by some activists. The vehicles windshield was smashed by the protestors. At several other places cars and auto-rickshaws were damaged by the agitators.
The BJD and BJP activists had a faceoff near the Raj Bhavan. While the BJP activists were holding a dharna, the BJD activists went in a motorbike rally and shouted slogans against the BJP leaders. This led to a scuffle and the police personnel had a tough time in controlling the situation.
At many places bikers were misbehaved and their vehicles damaged by the protestors. Though medical and emergency services were exempted from the purview of the protest at several places ambulances were stopped by the protestors.
DGP RP Sharma admitted of the violence during the protest. He said there were stray incidents of violence but overall the dharna passed off peacefully.
Police Commissioner Y B Khurania said there will be inquiry and CCTV footage will be looked into to find out the criminals, who harassed people. He said anybody filing FIR will be investigated properly.
BJD leaders in a Press conference said there were sporadic incidents of violence. But it was people’s expression of anger against the Union Government. The BJD and the Chief Minister do not believe in the ideology of violence.
However, in his reaction, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Twitted, “BJD workers’ goondaism in name of hartal is sad. Everyone has got right to protest but nobody is above the law. The local Government should take stringent action against the guilty. Taking law into their hands is undemocratic,” Pradhan said.