Odisha: Man hurls shoes at CM Naveen Patnaik, BJP flag recovered

A man hurled a pair of shoes at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday while he was addressing an election meeting at Khumhari village under Bijepur Assembly constituency in Bargah district.

Bijepur Assembly is to go for bypolls on February 24.

Police said, the chief minister escaped unhurt as Patnaik’s in the shoe-attack. “The shoe-thrower has been arrested by the police personnel present in the meeting and the chief minister was escorted safely out,” said a senior police officer of Bargah district.

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Officer-in-charge of Barpali police station Subrat Kumar Behra said, “The man has been identified as Kartik Meher. A BJP flag was recovered from the arrested”

However, Meher during questioning told the police that he is not associated with any political party.

Soon after the hurling of shoes, party-workers nabbed Meher and beat him. He was rushed to VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research for medical treatment.