Stepping up the demand for a thorough and impartial probe into a video tape allegedly featuring Bhubaneswar Mayor, BJP workers today staged a demonstration here and announced plan to stage 'chakka jam' across Odisha tomorrow.
A large number of BJP workers, mostly youth wing activists, demonstrated in Rajmahal area and also sought fresh probe into the death of an engineering student in May, 2016 claiming that the video clip had links with the case.
As the demonstrators proceeded in a bid to gherao the residence of Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena they were prevented by the police, leading to a scuffle as tension triggered briefly in the area, a police officer said.
The BJP state unit also called for a two-hour 'chakka jam' tomorrow in all municipalities and notified area councils (NACs) across Odisha to press for a high-level probe into the whole episode including the video clip, death of engineering student Ashutosh Mohanty alias Rishi and mayor's alleged role.
The party would observe 'chakka jam' and halt vehicular movement for two hours from 10 AM to noon tomorrow, General Secretary of the BJP state unit Prithviraj Harichandan said.
BJP demanded immediate intervention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the matter to ensure a probe into the alleged murder and video clip.
A forensic examination of the video clip should be conducted in a central laboratory, Harichandan said adding if the state government failed to wake up to the situation BJP would intensify its stir.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and Petroleum Minister Dharmendra
Pradhan said the allegation against the Mayor is serious and if it is true, it is a matter of concern.
Claiming that the local investigating agency has failed to give due importance to the death of the student, Pradhan said it appears that there was an attempt to suppress the matter in a hush hush manner.
People would lose faith in the system if proper investigation in accordance with the law is not conducted into charges levelled against influential persons, the union minister said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the police, which had registered a case of unnatural death in Rishi's case, formed a special team to probe the mysterious death of the engineering student, said Deputy Commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.
Stating that the case had not been closed by the police and it was very much open, he said the probe team would be headed by an ACP.
