Bhubaneswar: Members of the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), the youth and student wings of the opposition, on Friday staged a protest and gheraoed the residence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar, demanding his resignation over the alleged deterioration in the law and order situation in the state.
The agitation was organised under the direction of BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik and led by BYJD president Chinmaya Sahu and BCJD president Ipsita Sahoo.
According to the regional party, hundreds of youth and student activists participated in the protest, raising slogans demanding peace, security and effective governance in the state.
BJD leaders alleged that the state was witnessing a sharp rise in crime and accused the government of failing to ensure the safety of women, youth, students and the general public.
“The law-and-order situation in the state has become alarming due to the negligence and failure of the present government. Common people are feeling increasingly insecure, while the morale of criminals is rising,” party sources said.
The opposition party urged the state government to take immediate and stringent measures to restore public confidence and maintain peace and security across Odisha.
The protest comes amid mounting criticism of the state government from opposition parties, including the BJD and the Indian National Congress, over a series of recent crime incidents that have drawn widespread attention.
Tension escalated further following Thursday’s mob lynching of Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Soumya Ranjan Swain in the Balianta area on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar. The constable was allegedly beaten to death by villagers over accusations of sexual assault involving two girls.
Meanwhile, family members of the deceased constable, along with residents of his native village Maujpur in Cuttack district, staged a road blockade on the Phulnakhara-Niali route demanding justice, compensation for the bereaved family and the release of Om Prakash Rout, who was reportedly present during the incident and is currently in police detention.
Police said five persons have so far been arrested in connection with the killing of the GRP constable, while the investigation into the incident is continuing.
