Odisha BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra arrested for attacking vehicle
What's the story
Senior BJP leader Jayanarayan Mishra from Odisha and his associate were arrested on Thursday in connection with last month's attack on the vehicle of a state minister's brother in Bargarh district in which a man died, the police said. A police team picked up former minister Mishra from his house in Sambalpur, said Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Padampur Laxmi Narayan Panda. Here's more.
Arrests
Law would take its own course: CM Naveen Patnaik
The police official said an associate of Mishra identified as Shiba Kumar Diwan was also arrested and both were taken to Sohela. With this, the total number of arrests in the case rose to eight as six people had been arrested earlier, the SDPO said. Asked about the arrest of Mishra, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said that the law would take its own course.
The incident
The incident took place on 23 February
The incident took place in the wee hours of 23 February on the eve of the by-election in the Bijepur Assembly constituency on 24 February. Odisha Labour Minister Susanta Singh's brother Subrat Singh and three others were injured in the attack by a group of men in Banabira area. The attackers also fired at the vehicle and smashed its windshield with stones.
Reactions
Police action part of a political conspiracy: Mishra
While Mishra termed the police action as part of a "political conspiracy", Labor Minister Sushant Singh said it was based on the information gathered by the police. Condemning Mishra's arrest, BJP state unit President Basant Panda said it was an attempt to suppress the people's voice in democracy. The BJP leader would be produced before the court shortly, SDPO Panda added.