Mob attacks police station in Odisha's Gajapati, several cops injured

A mob of around 200 people on Tuesday stormed into a police station in Odisha's Gajapati district and assaulted officers there, hours after a local youth was arrested on charges of ganja smuggling.

As many as eight police personnel suffered injuries in the incident, of which two had to be taken to a government hospital nearby, one of the officers stated.

"Protesters broke open the gate of the police station, thrashed personnel and ransacked properties. All of them were armed. At least seven to eight personnel were injured in the melee," the officer, who was at the scene, said.

Senior police officers are currently trying to pacify the protesters, he added.

Agitators, including women, alleged that the police picked up a youth of Jharanapur village on Monday night on false charges, and demanded that he be released immediately.