Bargarh/ Bhubaneswar: The police on Wednesday gave contradictory versions on the political motive behind the shoe attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at Barpali in Odisha’s Bargarh district the previous evening. While the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Bargarh Sadar Suresh Kumar Nayak quoted the accused as having said that BJP leaders had instigated him, the inspector-in-charge of Padampur police station Jasobant Pradhani said the youth had no political link.
“The accused, identified as Kartik Meher, a resident of Budhapali village under Padampur police station limits, has no political link. He belongs to a farmer’s family,” Pradhani told mediapersons. He maintained that Meher was an eccentric and mentally unstable person and a complaint had been against him in an egg hurling case in 2014.
At a separate press meet, Nayak said going by the statement of the accused, BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi and two others — Kishore Bohidar and Loknath Patel — had asked him to throw shoes at the Chief Minister.
Around 6 pm on Tuesday, Meher caught everyone unawares by throwing two chappals in quick succession at Naveen when the latter was wrapping up his speech at an election rally at Kumbhari village in Barpali block. The security personnel prevented the shoes from hitting Naveen, who was campaigning for BJD candidate Rita Sahoo. A mob beat up Meher, who was sitting close to the dais, before handing him over to police.
Meher told mediapersons that three persons had instigated him to hurl shoes at the CM, but refused to name them. “I will share their names only after having food,” Meher, who sustained injuries on his head and legs, said on Tuesday evening.
“Barpali police has registered a case under section 448 (criminal trespass), 336 (endangering life or personal safety of others), 341 (wrongful restraint), 355 (assault with intent to dishonor person), 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and 127 (disturbances at election meeting) under RP Act. No one has been arrested. The accused has been admitted to Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) at Burla for treatment. Based on the accused’s statement, police has begun investigation,” the SDPO said.
Reacting to the SDPO’s version, BJP candidate Ashok Panigrahi said the allegations against him are false and baseless. “I have no connection with the accused and the statement of the police clearly states that an attempt is being made by the ruling BJD to falsely implicate me in this incident. The local police is dancing to the BJD’s tunes as the ruling party knows that it is going to lose the Bijepur byelection. Let the police verify the call records of the mobile phone of the accused,” he maintained.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram (BJP) said the police should have detained the accused prior to the meeting of the Chief Minister as he had shown black flags to him during his earlier visit to Bargarh district.
“It seems the police is playing a dirty game at the BJD’s behest. While it says that it has seized a BJP flag from the pocket of the accused, the accused has maintained that he has no political link. I can say the BJD is trying to mislead public opinion and motivate the people of Bijepur against the BJP. The ruling party cannot succeed in its shameful act,” Oram said.
Protesting the Barpali incident, hundreds of BJD workers staged a dharna near Mahatma Gandhi statue at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. A BJD delegation, led by minister Maheswar Mohanty, also met the Director General of Police (DGP) R P Sharma in the state capital and submitted a memorandum demanding stern action against the accused and others involved in the incident.
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