Bhubaneswar, July 16: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and former minister Pranab Prakash Das, popularly known as Bobby Das, was hospitalized on Wednesday after sustaining serious injuries during a protest in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. The protest was organized by the BJD in response to the tragic death of a Fakir Mohan (FM) College student, Soumyashree Bisi, who died after a self-immolation attempt over alleged sexual harassment.
Das was injured while demonstrating near Lower PMG Square, causing injuries to his body and legs. He was initially taken to Capital Hospital, but as his condition deteriorated, he was shifted to a private hospital in the city for advanced treatment.
Other senior BJD leaders, including Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo and former minister Priti Ranjan Ghadai, also sustained injuries during the police action and were admitted to Capital Hospital.
Condemning the incident, BJD president and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said,
“The right to democratic protest is under grave threat in Odisha. Today, the Biju Janata Dal exercised its constitutional right to hold a peaceful demonstration, protesting the tragic death of a 20-year-old girl student, a victim of systemic apathy and betrayal. I strongly condemn the heavy-handed tactics employed by the police and the Government to sabotage the BJD’s peaceful march. Neither water cannons nor rubber bullets can weaken our resolve.”
The protest turned tense when BJD workers attempted to march towards the Lok Seva Bhawan and broke through police barricades set up at Lower PMG. This led to a violent scuffle between the police and the protestors. In an attempt to disperse the crowd, police used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets, leading to multiple injuries and detentions of party workers.
The BJD had launched the protest to seek justice for Soumyashree Bisi, a 20-year-old B.Ed. student from FM Autonomous College in Balasore, who succumbed to severe burn injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after attempting self-immolation. The student had reportedly taken the drastic step due to alleged inaction over sexual harassment complaints.
The incident has triggered widespread outrage, with the BJD accusing the state government and police of suppressing peaceful dissent with brute force.
