Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s Minister of State for Home Tusharkanti Behera on Tuesday claimed that he was not aware of vandalism by a mob at Ambabhona police station in Bargarh district, even as opposition BJP and Congress attacked the government on the issue.
Responding to queries by reporters about attack on the police station by unruly youths who ransacked furniture and electronic equipment in the building on Sunday, the Minister claimed that he has no knowledge about the incident.
“I do not have any information on this (vandalism) at any police station. I will be able to tell you something once I get information on this,” Behera told media persons.
The Minister made such claim despite the fact that the incident has triggered a controversy in political circles as both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress alleged that the BJD goons were involved in vandalism at the police station. They accused the police of shielding the accused due to involvement of ruling party people.
As the issue sparked a major row, the Bargarh unit of the Congress staged a demonstration in front of the district SP office on Tuesday demanding the immediate arrest of the miscreants.
Stating that three days have elapsed since BJD goons vandalised the Ambabhona police station, said Bargarh Congress president Nihar Mahananda said no arrest has so far been made and it seems that police is not working under the Home department.
Similarly, a delegation of BJP met the Director General of Police (DGP) Sunil Bansal and demanded immediate steps to nab those involved in the mob attack.
A 20-member team of the BJP led by state unit secretary Golak Mohapatra called on the DGP in Cuttack and demanded his intervention in the vandalism incident.
The saffron party demanded that BJD MLA and former Minister Sushant Singh be brought under the purview of the investigation while alleging that his supporters went on a rampage in the police station in his presence.
