BJP-BJD workers clash during Bhubaneswar shutdown

Bhubaneswar, Dec 21: Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) clashed here on Wednesday during a 12-hour Bhubaneswar shutdown called by the BJP demanding action against Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena for his alleged involvement in a murder case and a sex video.

Normal life came to a standstill in the Odisha capital as the BJP workers picketed and blocked roads causing inconvenience to the commuters.

While the BJP workers were picketing and blocking roads here, the BJD students wing members took out a bike rally from Vani Vihar to Master Canteen square protesting the shutdown, sources said.

"We were observing peaceful protests across Bhubaneswar. But, the police allowed another similar rally of BJD to foil our protest. It was done at the behest of the Chief Minister Navin Patnaik," BJP General Secretary Prithviraj Harichandan said.

Soon both parties workers entered into a scuffle in the presence of police personnel.

"We oppose the shutdown and appealed to the private organisations and people to keep their shops open," said Chinmoy Sahoo, a student leader of BJD.

Following the incident, the police took several BJP leaders into custody.

Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi said there was adequate security arrangements to tackle any untoward incident.