Bhubaneswar, March 21 BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought the intervention of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to restore law and order following an attack on the residence of a senior BJD leader and former minister here, police said.
According to a complaint lodged at the Capital Police Station, security staff of BJD leader Pratap Jena alleged that around 15 miscreants attacked his residence on Friday night and used abusive language.
According to the complaint, the attackers were armed with iron rods, a knife, and a gun, and attempted to intimidate the security personnel.
On Friday morning, the party had issued a notice, signed by Jena in his capacity as vice-president (headquarters), suspending 10 members of the party’s youth and student wings on charges of anti-party activities.
Speaking to reporters after the attack on his house, Jena alleged that some suspended members of the party’s youth and student wings created a commotion outside his residence.
In a post on X, Patnaik said, "I strongly condemn the armed attack that took place last night on the residence of Mr. Pratap Jena, a senior leader of the Biju Janata Dal and former minister. Those who insulted democracy with the power of money in the Rajya Sabha elections – their goons carried out this act of violence. This is not two separate incidents but a blatant example of misrule and lack of law and order."
Patnaik demanded that immediate action be taken in this matter and the culprits arrested. "I urge the chief minister to intervene to restore the law and order situation that has deteriorated in the state," he said.
Odisha BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra, however, rejected Patnaik’s allegation and questioned how Jena was staying at the government quarters despite not being an MLA.
The government quarters were allotted in the name of BJD MLA Prasant Behera.
"The incident was a result of internal conflict within the BJD and nothing to do with the law and order situation," Mohapatra said.
Meanwhile, a police statement said that two persons identified as Siddhartha Kumar Swain (28) and Debi Prasad Lenka (34) were arrested under different sections of BNS in connection with the attack on Jena’s house.