Odisha News: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Nov 23: Police arrested Bhaba Prasad Das, the former chairperson of Jajpur Municipality and cousin of BJD organizational secretary Pranab Prakash Das, on Saturday. He is accused of assaulting a vegetable vendor at Biraja Haat in Jajpur town. After a medical examination, Bhaba was brought to the residence of the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) in Jajpur.
Bhaba is the son of Utkal Das, the younger brother of former BJD leader Ashok Das, Pranab’s father.
Sources reported that on Thursday morning, around 8 am, a vegetable vendor, Nagen Nayak, arrived at Biraja Haat to sell his goods. Tensions were already high at the market due to the administration’s efforts to relocate it for the Maa Biraja Parikrama project. Bhaba, along with his cousin Balabhadra and 48 others, reportedly arrived at the market, verbally abused Nayak, and ordered him to leave. When Nayak refused, they allegedly beat him, damaged his vegetables, and stole Rs 12,000 from his pocket.
The vendor filed a complaint at Jajpur Town police station, and two other traders also lodged separate complaints accusing Bhaba and his associates of assault. Police registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and detained Bhaba on Friday night.
