Several injured as Odisha MLA rams car into crowd

In a bizarre incident just like the Lakhimpur Kheri case, Prasanta Kumar Jagadev, a legislator of Odisha Assembly, on Saturday allegedly plowed his car into a crowd at Banapur in Khurda district, police said in Bhubhaneswar.

The incident happened at around 11 a.m near the Banapur block office where indirect election for the post of block chairman was underway. Several people and ten police personnel were injured in the incident.

Following the incident, irate people thrashed the MLA severely who was first admitted in Tangi hospital and later shifted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar. Jagadev's car was damaged and overturned by the mob.

Speaking to mediapersons, Khurda SP, Alekh Chandra Pahi said the situation is under control now. As per preliminary information, when BJP supported Panchayat Samiti members were entering into the block office in a rally for the election, the MLA reached there and tried to enter his vehicle into the crowd, he said.

Police personnel and some people tried to stop the MLA from entering into the crowd.

Ten police personnel, including Banapur IIC, the MLA, a journalist and at least six people were injured in the incident, said the SP. However, no casualty has been reported so far, he added.

Pahi said all the injured, including the MLA and IIC, have been shifted to Bhubaneswar for treatment.

The SP assured that strong action will be taken against those involved in the incident. Security arrangements have been tightened in the area.

In September, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had suspended Jagadev following a video that had gone viral in which he could be seen thrashing a BJP leader of his Chilika constituency.

The legislator is infamous for his 'indecent' behaviour. In August 2020, a junior engineer had registered a complaint alleging misbehaviour by him over booking a guest house. Prior to that in 2016, he was in media limelight for allegedly assaulting a lady Tehsildar.