Orissa Congress workers clash with cops,100 hurt

The Congressmen led by Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Niranjan Patnaik and other leaders held a meeting demanding the resignation of Naveen Patnaik alleging his involvement in the alleged scams. Scores of Congress workers then tried to storm through the barricade leading to police action. When police tried to disperse the crowd through lathicharge,the mob threw stones and sticks at the police. Several Congressmen and some photographers were also injured in the lathicharge.

A woman police officer who was caught in the mob was hit on her head by a protester. When she fell down,some Congressmen started kicking her mercilessly. Another plainclothed police official was thrashed by the mob as they threw bamboo sticks at him before he was rescued by other policemen.

Orissa DGP Prakash Mishra said the protesters turned violent without any provocation and blamed the hooliganism of Congress behind the large number of injuries. The police acted with restraint, he said.

The Orissa Constable Havildar Mahasangh gave an ultimatum to the government to arrest the culprits who had assaulted the woman officer within next 48 hours,threatening to boycott security duty of Congress VIPs.