Odisha Elections 2024: BJP’s MLA Candidate Stages Dharna Against Police Detention For Damaging EVM

Bhubaneswar: Even as BJD moved Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) seeking stern action against Odisha’s Chilika MLA Prasant Jagdev for vandalising EVM in a booth, the latter staged a dharna against his illegal detention in a police station on Saturday.

In a complaint filed before the (CEO), the BJD stated that Jagadev, who is contesting the Assembly election as BJP candidate from Khurda constituency, had gone to a polling booth at Kaunripatna in Bolgarh along with his supporters while the polling was going on during third phase of election in the state.

“Jagdev and his supporters not only entered the booth unauthorisedly, but also damaged an electronic voting machine (EVM). The MLA also attacked a polling official inside the booth, injuring him seriously,” said BJD spokesman Sasmit Patra who led a delegation of the party to submit the complaint.

He further said following the incident, Jagadev fled in a vehicle of Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi. But he was intercepted by the police and detained in Begunia police station.

Patra said they had sought immediate intervention of the CEO to arrest Jagdev who is known for his criminal conduct in the constituency.

On the other hand, Jagdev strongly refuted the allegation and sat on a dharna inside Begunia police station against his detention. He claimed that the EVM was damaged as it fell on the ground accidentally.

Alleging that he was being framed by the ruling BJD, the MLA demanded the footage of the CCTV camera in Kaunripatna booth to be checked to ascertain what exactly transpired there.