Sambalpur: The police detained several senior BJP leaders including Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu and State BJP President Manmohan Samal when they were enroute to Sambalpur town on Tuesday.
A delegation of senior leaders of State BJP led by President Shri Samal were moving from Jharsuguda to Sambalpur to take stock of the situation in Sambalpur town, which has witnessed several violence incidents between two communities during last week.
Tapan Mohanty, Additional SP, Sambalpur said, “We have detained them as they are not obeying the 144 of CrPC.”
The BJP leaders have been detained at Thelkoloi police station before entering into the Sambalpur town, police said. The other leaders who have been detained by the police include MPs Suresh Pujari, Jual Oram & Basant Panda, MLAs Nauri Naik, Kusumu Tete & Shankar Oram and former state presidents Samir Mohanty and KV Singh Deo.
“It is unfortunate to detain us on the mid-way even though we have intimated the police a day before,” Tudu said. The district collector and SP should be suspended immediately, he demanded.
The BJP lawmakers said they will raise the issue in Parliament and Odisha Assembly in upcoming sessions.
“I will examine the legality and power of District Administration on this detention. If it amounts to breach of privilege of a MP, I will take steps to bring breach of privilege against the district administration,” said Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari.
Shri Pujari said the District Administration on Monday agreed to allow the visit of the BJP delegation to Sambalpur. But, unfortunately, today, they denied permission. Under whose direction, the police took this ‘U’ turn, he said.
Terming the detention as ‘unconstitutional’, MLA Nauri Naik said the party will strongly protest such move of police in the proper forum.
Meanwhile, the Sambalpur District Administration has further relaxed the curfew in the town. As per the latest order issued by Sambalpur Sadar Sub-Collector Pravash Chandra Dandasena, the curfew has been relaxed from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Similarly, Internet services will remain suspended in the district for another 24 hours till 10 a.m. of April 19, sources said.