Bhubaneswar. March 27: Tensions escalated on Thursday as Congress workers clashed with police during a protest rally at Lower PMG, raising concerns over women's safety in Odisha. The demonstration turned violent, resulting in injuries to several Congress activists and journalists amid the chaos.

The confrontation began when police attempted to stop Congress workers from marching toward the Odisha Assembly. In response, some protesters threw stones, chairs, and eggs at security personnel, prompting the police to retaliate with lathi charges, water cannons, and tear gas to disperse the crowd at PMG Square.

The situation quickly spiraled into a battleground, with authorities detaining senior Congress leaders, including former MLA Mohammed Moquim, Odisha PCC President Bhakta Charan Das, Congress Odisha in-charge Ajay Lallu, and Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam.

Condemning the police action, AICC in-charge Ajay Lallu stated, “The police unleashed lathis, tear gas, and water cannons. This regime is oppressive. They suspended 14 of our MLAs for raising concerns over women’s atrocities. We demanded a ‘House Committee,’ but our supporters were attacked. As Rahul Gandhi’s army, we will not bow to intimidation.”

Hundreds of Congress workers and leaders participated in the rally, aiming to encircle the Odisha Assembly in protest against what they claim is a rise in crimes against women under the BJP-led government. The Commissionerate Police, anticipating unrest, had heavily barricaded roads leading to the Assembly and deployed 80 platoons of police across the city to maintain control.

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