BHUBANESWAR, 12 MARCH: In the re-run last year of Lakhimpur Kheri incident, in which four farmers and a journalist were allegedly crushed by an SUV by the son of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra, including a police inspector 24 people were injured as suspended MLA of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) allegedly rammed his SUV into a procession of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in Odisha’s Khurda district on Saturday morning.
MLA Prashant Jagdev, who was elected from Chilika assembly constituency, was badly thrashed minutes after his car ran over a crowd.
Police officials said that, On Saturday morning, when the SUV of MLA Prashant Jagdev reached there, about 200 BJP workers were taking out a procession outside the Banpur Panchayat Samiti office near Chilka Lake for the election of Panchayat Samiti President.
Last year, MLA Prashant Jagdev was suspended from the BJD for thrashing a Dalit BJP leader, drove his SUV towards the office, he was initially stopped by a police inspector, other policemen and BJP workers, However, MLA Prashant Jagdev stepped on the accelerator and dropped the people gathered around him, injuring at least 24. The assembled mob then thrashed the MLA injuring him. Inspector General of Police (Central Range) Narasingha Bhol said that Five of the injured, including the Inspector of Banpur police station, are critically injured.
Police officials present at the spot said that Banpur police station inspector Rashmi Ranjan Sahu initially argued with the MLA, who is known for his high-handedness, for not taking his vehicle forward as he had an unpleasant incident. The incident was suspected, but Instead of listening to the inspector, MLA Jagdev drove the car over an old man and a woman. A police officer said, the old man has been seriously injured.
Local resident Arun Kumar Nayak alleged that the 52-year-old MLA was drunk while plowing the vehicle in the crowd. “He was definitely drunk when the incident happened,” Nayak said.
Angry locals dragged Jagdev from his vehicle after the incident, and thrashed him while setting his vehicle on fire.
Demanding Jagdev’s arrest, BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan said politicians like him should be put behind bars for a long time. Harichandan said that Jagdev is a criminal forever and is using strong-arm tactics like being with BJD. Congress MLA Narasingha Mishra said that the incident shows the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. However, BJD MLA from Khurda Jitu Mitra defended Jagdev saying that BJP workers should not have stopped his vehicle.
The two-time MLA has been involved in several incidents of indecent behavior. MLA Jagdev allegedly misbehaved with a junior engineer working with the Chilika Development Authority in August 2020. In December 2018, he threatened a former sarpanch at the panchayat samiti office in the presence of district officials. In November 2016, he allegedly threw a kerosene lantern at the female tehsildar of Bolgad while latter was mapping a land. In July 2016, Jagdev and his supporters thrashed BJP workers in Boudh district for showing black flags to Sanjay Dasburma, Food Supplies Minister and Youth BJD President.