Student’s death: BJD stir turns violent, many hurt

THE SECOND-YEAR STUDENT IN BALASORE HAD SET HERSELF ON FIRE ON JULY 12, DEMANDING ACTION AGAINST AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

- Press Trust of India

Several BJD workers and leaders, including two former ministers, were injured in a scuffle with police personnel in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday during a party's protest over the death of a college student, who set herself on fire in Odisha’s Balasore district.

The BJD’s demonstration turned violent near the Lower PMG Square when its workers and leaders breached a barricade to march towards the state secretariat, Lok Seva Bhavan, and clashed with the police personnel, an officer said.

The police used water cannons and fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitating BJD workers, he said. “BJD workers were later arrested and taken away from the agitation site,” the officer said.

Among the injured persons were former ministers Pranab Prakash Das and Priti Ranjan Gharai. Gharai was initially taken to Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar and later shifted to the ICU of the Utkal Hospital, a party functionary said. Das was taken to a private hospital, he said.