The BJP on Thursday demanded that Begunia BJD MlA Prashant Jagdev be arrested soon on the charge of assaulting its worker at Taratua near Khordha during the ruling party’s Mahanadi Banchao Mahasangram stir at Saradhapur Chhak on Wednesday.
Addressing a Press meet at Khordha, BJP State Secretary Jatin Mohanty said though the BJD MlA has been involved in several cases of assault in the recent past, police have not taken any action against him yet.
“The BJD MlA had assaulted BJP workers at Manamunda in Boudh district and in Puri recently. On Wednesday, he attacked our party worker Sheikh Nijamuddin Khan of Taratua. FIRs have been lodged against Jagdev in all cases but police are yet to arrest him,” said Mohanty.
Khan, in his complaint lodged at the Khordha Town police station, alleged that the MlA assaulted him at Taratua while he was coming in procession to attend the Mahanadi Banchao Mahasangram Andolan organised by the ruling party.
Following the incident, BJP workers had too staged a road blockade at the Saradhapur Chhak by burning tyres and demanded Jagdev’s arrest.
On the other hand, Jagdev has refuted the allegation saying Nijamuddin came in an inebriated condition and abused him after intercepting his vehicle while he was coming in a procession. When he opposed him, Nijamuddin manhandled many party workers present there, the MlA alleged.
Jagdev’s driver has also filed a case against Nijamuddin in this regard, police said.
“We have a received a complaint of assault against MlA Jagdev from Nijamuddin. Necessary action will be taken once we complete the
investigation,” said Khordha Town police station IIC Ranjit Kumar Sahu.