Odisha: Congress leader booked for inciting violence

A case has been registered against former MP from Nabarangpur and vice president of Odisha Congress, Pradeep Manjhi, after he was allegedly caught on camera asking workers to keep petrol and diesel ready, while talking to someone over phone during a protest on Thursday.In the video, Manjhi, while talking to somebody over the phone, can allegedly be heard saying, "Keep petrol and diesel ready, once you get direction set everything on fire".

"A case has been registered against Pradeep Manjhi in this issue under the IPC Section 147, 341, 353, 283, 431, 506, 435, 120B, Section 3 (Prevention of Damage to Public Property)," said Nitin Kusalkar, Superintendent of Police, Nabarangpur.

Talking to ANI, Manjhi said, "We were protesting peacefully against the police for not taking action in a rape case that happened on December 14, but when police tried to stop our peaceful protest and tried to push the protesters, then I had to take law in my hand and I asked workers to keep petrol and diesel ready."

Manjhi further said, "Our protest was against the sleeping administration on their failure to give safety and security to women, it has nothing to do with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019."

Congress had called a 12 hour 'bandh' on Thursday in Nabarangpur protesting against the administration in connection with the alleged gang-rape and murder of a girl in Kosagumuda Police limit in Nabarangpur district of Odisha.