Odisha BJD Leader Pranab Prakash Das’ Cousin Held For Assaulting Vendor

Bhubaneswar: Police on Saturday arrested Bhaba Prasad Das, former Jajpur Municipality chairperson and cousin of BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, on charges of assaulting a vegetable vendor at Biraja Haat in Odisha’s Jajpur town.

He was brought to the residence of the SDJM (Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate) in Jajpur after a medical examination this morning.

Bhaba is the son of Utkal Das, younger brother of former BJD leader and Pranab’s father Ashok Das.

According to sources, a vegetable vendor, Nagen Nayak, reached Biraja Haat, which is witnessing tensions amid the administration’s effort to shift the market to Santmadhab for Parikrama project of Maa Biraja, at around 8 am on Thursday to sell vegetables. Bhaba and his cousin Balabhadra along with 48 others soon reached the spot and started abusing him. They then asked him to leave the market. When he refused, Das’ associates allegedly thrashed him and damaged his vegetables. They also snatched away Rs 12,000 from his pocket.

While vegetable vendor lodged the complaint at Jajpur Town police station, two other traders also filed separate police complaints against Bhaba and his associates for assaulting them.

Following the allegation, police lodged a case under Sections 115(2), 296, 3(5), 303(2) and 324(4) of the BNS and detained him last night.

Biraja Haat, the oldest bi-weekly market, was recently shifted to Santhmadhab area in the city under the ongoing Birja Parikrama project. However, some traders and vendors, allegedly supported by BJP, have been opposing the relocation while those backed by BJD are supporting the shifting of the market. There was face-off between the two groups on Thursday when some traders set up their stalls at the old location.