Bhubaneswar: Twelve police personnel were injured in a violent attack by Congress workers during a tense standoff in the Lower PMG area on Thursday informed Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena.
Addressing a press conference after the unrest, Meena stated, “In the attack by Congress workers, 12 police personnel were injured. The injured officers have been hospitalized, and their treatment is underway.” The confrontation erupted as Congress workers clashed with police, turning the area into a chaotic battlefield.
The violence unfolded when Congress workers, unrelenting in their protest, hurled stones, chairs, and bottles at the police, who were attempting to maintain order.
The situation escalated further when some protesters tried to set a vehicle ablaze, an attempt thwarted by the driver’s quick action. 
Police responded with a lathi charge, followed by water cannons and tear gas, to disperse the crowd after the workers attempted to breach barricades. Meena assured that an investigation into the incident would be conducted, adding that the situation is now under control.
The Lower PMG area resembled a war zone as the clash left several Congress workers with head injuries and additional police personnel hurt in the melee. Despite the aggressive police response, the Congress workers showed no signs of backing down.
Police arrested key party figures, including PCC President Bhakta Charan Das, senior leader Mohammed Moquim, and Tara Bahinipati, detaining them one by one in an effort to quell the unrest. Defiant, Bhakta Charan Das declared, “We are not afraid of arrests,” signaling the group’s resolve to continue their protest.
The incident has sparked outrage, with both sides nursing injuries and grievances as the city grapples with the aftermath of the violent showdown.
