A suspended MLA of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) allegedly drove his SUV into a procession of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Odisha’s Khurda district. 24 people including the police inspector were injured in this accident. The condition of five is said to be critical. After which the angry mob ran and beat the MLA. Simultaneously, the MLA’s car was set on fire. The police have increased the police force in the area.
Police officials said that around 200 BJP workers were taking out a procession outside the Banpur Panchayat Samiti office near Chilka Lake on Saturday morning for the election of Panchayat Samiti President, when the SUV of MLA Prashant Jagdev reached there.
Jagdev, who was suspended from the BJD last year for thrashing a Dalit BJP leader, drove his SUV towards the office, he was initially stopped by a police inspector as well as other policemen and BJP workers. Inspector General of Police (Central Range) Narsingh Bhol said that the MLA did not listen to anyone and continued to move the vehicle, in the meantime people were hit by the SUV. At least 24 were injured in the incident. Five injured including the inspector of Banpur police station have been seriously injured. After this, the angry mob thrashed the MLA, injuring him.
Eyewitnesses allege that the MLA was intoxicated at the time of the incident and first clashed with the police and then drove the car over the people without listening to anything. After the incident, angry locals dragged Jagdev from his vehicle and thrashed him while setting his vehicle on fire. The injured MLA has been admitted to a hospital in Bhubaneswar.