Odisha Hanuman Jayanti Violence: BJP Delegation, Including Union Minister Tudu, Held Back From Entering Sambalpur

On Tuesday, a group of high-ranking BJP officials, including Union Minister Bisheswar Tudu and several party MPs and MLAs, were detained after they were barred from entering the city of Sambalpur, which has been affected by violent unrest.

The team was stopped at Sripura Chhak on the Jharsuguda-Sambalpur road and detained at Thelkoli police station for not complying with section 144 of CrPC.

Officials, including Sambalpur Additional Superintendent of Police Tapan Kumar Mohanty, said: “The BJP delegation was denied permission to enter the city because they were not abiding by the provision under section 144 of CrPC. They cannot be allowed entry into the city at a time when curfew is in force.”

“I strongly condemn the Odisha government for preventing a Union Minister’s visit to Sambalpur where a tribal youth was killed during violence.

"As the country’s Tribal Affairs Minister and myself also a tribal, it is my duty to meet the family members of the deceased tribal youth. However, I was stopped in the mid-way by police,” Minister Tudu told reporters.

Tudu said he will raise the issue with the Central government.

“It is unfortunate that the Sambalpur district administration stopped me and my colleagues to enter the city. They (administration) were given prior information regarding our visit,” he added.

Sundergarh MP Jual Oram, said: “It is unfortunate that the police stopped the delegation comprising BJP MPs and MLAs. We have been denied entry into the city while the rioters are moving freely.”

“They prevented us fearing exposure of the police inefficiencies. The police have failed to arrest the killers of a tribal youth during the violence, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari said.