Odisha: Cops stop BJP rally over Archana case, zilla parishad member’s death

BHUBANESWAR: Police on Monday stopped hundreds of BJP leaders and workers before they could reach chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence to protest against his ‘silence’ over alleged links of some of his party leaders with the honey-trap case accused, Archana Nag, and the death of BJD zilla parishad member Dharmendra Sahoo.
A minor clash broke out between the protesters and cops at Sishu Bhawan, about 2 km away from Naveen Niwas though nobody was injured.
“We wanted to gherao Naveen Niwas for the chief minister’s stoic silence on the two issues — lady blackmailer Archana Nag and BJD ZP member Sahoo’s death. Many BJD MLAs and ministers had links with Archana and extended political patronage to her sextortion activities. Minister Samir Dash is responsible for the marital discord in Sahoo’s life for which he died by suicide. But the chief minister has been shielding his tainted men,” BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged.
Sahoo (48), a ZP member from Gop area in Puri district, was found hanging from the ceiling of the parking area of his house in Sisupalgarh under Dhauli police station limits on September 24. The police, based on prima facie investigation, said he died by suicide. Dash has denied any involvement in Sahoo’s death.
The BJD termed the BJP rally as high drama. “BJP has been doing politics on sensitive issues, even though the people of the state have rejected them. Sahoo’s family members had requested the opposition not to politicise the sensitive issue,” BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.