May 27th 2024.
In Khurda, Odisha, a group of BJP workers gathered outside the sub-collector office on Monday to protest for the unconditional release of their candidate, Prashant Jagdev. Jagdev had been arrested on charges of damaging an EVM during the recent polling on May 25. The workers were determined to make their voices heard, and even threatened to block the national highway and call for a town-wide strike if their demands were not met.
The BJP workers strongly believed that the ruling BJD party had plotted to arrest Jagdev, who is running for the Khurda Assembly seat this election. They demanded that the CCTV footage from the polling booth be made public to prove their candidate's innocence. Aparajita Sarangi, the BJP MP and candidate for Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha, spoke out in support of Jagdev, stating that locals had claimed he did not damage any EVMs. She questioned why the CCTV footage was not being examined and urged the police to release it to the public.
Jagdev's arrest had taken place on Saturday, after he and his wife had gone to cast their votes at the Kaunripatna booth in the Begunia Assembly segment. According to Khurda's Superintendent of Police, Awinash Kumar, the arrest was made based on an FIR filed by the presiding officer of the polling booth. The officer, who is also a voter at that booth, accused Jagdev of causing disturbance, obstructing the voting process, and verbally abusing the polling personnel.
The SP further explained that Jagdev was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Representation of People's Act. It was a busy day for the state, as polling had taken place simultaneously for six Lok Sabha seats and 42 Assembly constituencies. The BJP workers remained firm in their stance, demanding the release of their candidate and the public release of the CCTV footage.
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