‘Break their legs and take reward': Odisha IPS officer's instruction during Congress protests over Puri stampede sparks row
The controversy erupted after a purported video, in which Bhubaneswar Additional Police Commissioner Narasingha Bhol was seen instructing police personnel to "break their legs and take reward from me" during a Congress workers' protest, went viral.
Also Read | Puri stampede: Negligence, mismanagement that led to temple stampede inexcusable, says Kharge
PTI could not verify the authenticity of the video independently.
His alleged instruction came during a protest rally by Congress activists on Sunday (June 29, 2025) night over the Puri stampede that left three people dead.
EDITORIAL | Sheer negligence: On the Puri stampede
The Congress activists were holding a demonstration before the Chief Minister's residence, alleging that there were lapses in crowd management, which led to the stampede incident.
In the viral video, Mr. Bhol was seen instructing the police personnel guarding barbed fencing near the CM's residence not to allow anyone to breach the barricade.
"कोई बैरिकेडिंग तक आए तो टांग तोड़ देना"
ये है ओडिशा की डबल इंजन सरकार के अंतर्गत आने वाले भुवनेश्वर ACP नरसिंह भोल जो पुलिसकर्मियों को कांग्रेस पार्टी के कार्यकर्ताओं की टांग तोड़ने का आदेश दे रहे है।
ACP साहब, सरकार बदलते देर नही लगती, टांगे संभाल के रखियेगा.. pic.twitter.com/ucn0ibn3nT — Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) June 30, 2025
IS THIS DEMOCRACY?@IYCOdisha went to gherao the CM's residence, demanding accountability for the chaos and mismanagement during the recent Puri Rath Yatra incident. But instead of answers, @odisha_police squads, acting like government goons, tried to crush the voice of youth.… pic.twitter.com/vlTSSof3hx — Manas choudhury (@ManasCOfficial) June 29, 2025
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said, 'This is highly condemnable. This shows the BJP government's attitude towards protesters. They (BJP) are criticising the emergency even after 50 years, but now a senior officer is instructing police personnel to break the legs of protesters. Is this a democracy?'
Mr. Das also accused Mr. Bhol of instigating Congress activists earlier during a rally in Bhubaneswar.
As his remarks stirred controversy, Mr. Bhol said that he urged the police personnel to perform their duties properly.
Also Read | Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik takes swipe at BJP government over delay in Rath Yatra rituals
"I was briefing the personnel to take action against protesters if they take the law into their hands, and resort to violence and unlawful activities," Mr. Bhol said.
Youth Congress leader Yashir Nawaz said that they were holding a peaceful demonstration, demanding action against those responsible for the Puri stampede.
Also Read | Puri stampede: Congress demands resignation of Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi
"The Congress was also demanding the resignation of the chief minister and the law minister. But, Bhol's instruction to the police personnel is anti-democratic and highly condemnable," he said.
Three people were killed and around 50 others injured in the stampede during the Rath Yatra festivities in Puri on Sunday (June 29, 2025).
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