Ex-minister’s son, his supporters detained for hotel trespass in Chhattisgarh | Bhubaneswar News
Bhubaneswar: Saraipali police in Chhattisgarh registered a case against 13 BJD members, including Bishal Kumar Das, son of late BJD cabinet minister Naba Kishore Das, for allegedly trespassing into a hotel and assaulting a constable in the early hours of Friday.
This development coincided with BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik writing to Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai for the safe release of Bishal along with others, including some elected representatives of Kirimira block in Jharsuguda district.
The incident gained attention after a social media video surfaced showing Bishal requesting assistance from Odisha govt and DGP for his release from Chhattisgarh. In the footage, Bishal stated that he and several panchayat samiti members from Jharsuguda district were wrongfully detained by police in the neighbouring state around 2 am.
Bishal linked his detention to a no-confidence vote against Kirmira block chairperson in Jharsuguda. “We were detained just hours before the crucial no-confidence voting that was scheduled to be held at 10.30 am on Friday,” said Bishal, whose hotel at Ainthapali in Sambalpur district underwent a police search on Thursday night.
Dipali Das, who is Bishal’s sister and former Jharsuguda MLA, questioned police actions ahead of the no-confidence vote. She accused BJP of orchestrating the unlawful detention of Bishal and others in Chhattisgarh. BJP dismissed these accusations. “Our party is in no way involved in it,” BJP leader Biranchi Narayan Tripathy stated.
In his communication to the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Naveen wrote: “Panchayat raj representatives like sarpanches and panchayat samiti members of Kirimira block were detained by Chhattisgarh police. They were supposed to participate in a no-confidence motion. They could not attend the same as they, along with Bishal Das, are detained from yesterday midnight.”
Naveen added: “I would request you to look into this and get them released immediately, and also to ensure their safety and security while they travel to the Odisha border. Many of those detained are women Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members.”
Odisha police sources said Laikera police station in Jharsuguda registered a missing case involving five PRI members on Wednesday following their relatives’ complaints. Jharsuguda police located the missing PRI members in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. They contacted Saraipali police for assistance in finding the missing individuals.
When Jharsuguda police arrived at Saraipali to retrieve the missing persons from a hotel on Thursday, the PRI members stated they came voluntarily, rejecting claims of their disappearance. “Bishal and 15 of his supporters forcibly entered the Saraipali hotel and caused a ruckus. When local police arrived, Bishal and others reportedly attacked a constable before fleeing. They were detained there for committing this offence,” a senior officer of Odisha police said.
This development coincided with BJD president and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik writing to Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai for the safe release of Bishal along with others, including some elected representatives of Kirimira block in Jharsuguda district.
The incident gained attention after a social media video surfaced showing Bishal requesting assistance from Odisha govt and DGP for his release from Chhattisgarh. In the footage, Bishal stated that he and several panchayat samiti members from Jharsuguda district were wrongfully detained by police in the neighbouring state around 2 am.
Bishal linked his detention to a no-confidence vote against Kirmira block chairperson in Jharsuguda. “We were detained just hours before the crucial no-confidence voting that was scheduled to be held at 10.30 am on Friday,” said Bishal, whose hotel at Ainthapali in Sambalpur district underwent a police search on Thursday night.
Dipali Das, who is Bishal’s sister and former Jharsuguda MLA, questioned police actions ahead of the no-confidence vote. She accused BJP of orchestrating the unlawful detention of Bishal and others in Chhattisgarh. BJP dismissed these accusations. “Our party is in no way involved in it,” BJP leader Biranchi Narayan Tripathy stated.
In his communication to the Chhattisgarh chief minister, Naveen wrote: “Panchayat raj representatives like sarpanches and panchayat samiti members of Kirimira block were detained by Chhattisgarh police. They were supposed to participate in a no-confidence motion. They could not attend the same as they, along with Bishal Das, are detained from yesterday midnight.”
Naveen added: “I would request you to look into this and get them released immediately, and also to ensure their safety and security while they travel to the Odisha border. Many of those detained are women Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) members.”
Odisha police sources said Laikera police station in Jharsuguda registered a missing case involving five PRI members on Wednesday following their relatives’ complaints. Jharsuguda police located the missing PRI members in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. They contacted Saraipali police for assistance in finding the missing individuals.
When Jharsuguda police arrived at Saraipali to retrieve the missing persons from a hotel on Thursday, the PRI members stated they came voluntarily, rejecting claims of their disappearance. “Bishal and 15 of his supporters forcibly entered the Saraipali hotel and caused a ruckus. When local police arrived, Bishal and others reportedly attacked a constable before fleeing. They were detained there for committing this offence,” a senior officer of Odisha police said.
