Bhubaneswar, July 16: Several senior BJD leaders, including former Ministers Pranab Prakash Das and Priti Ranjan Gharai and Rajya Sabha member Sulata Deo were admitted to a hospital here after they suffered injuries following tear gas shelling by police at Lower PMG during a protest by the BJD demanding justice for the girl student who died after a self-immolation bid over alleged sexual harassment.
The girl had taken the extreme step after her complaint alleging harassment by a professor was ignored.
Tension escalated when the police blocked BJD workers and leaders, who were marching towards the Lok Seva Bhawan along the Lower PMG after breaching security barricades.
To disperse the protestors, police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons injuring senior BJD leaders, including former Ministers Pranab Prakash Das, Pritiranjan Gharei and Rajya Sabha member Sulata Deo. They all are currently being treated at various hospitals.
BJD leaders alleged the 20-year-old student of Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, who had raised the issue with at various forums, including the institution and the police, could have been saved had the State Government intervened in the matter when she tried to reach out to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the State’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj through social media platform ‘X’.
