Congress workers blocked the national highway between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar at Balikuda square on the city outskirts Monday to protest the hike in fuel prices.
Led by Cuttack City Congress chief Md Moqim, the protesters blocked the highway at Balikuda Square for about an hour. They also burnt effigies of the Prime Minister and Petroleum Minister before the police arrived at the spot to clear the blockade.
Coming down heavily on Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Congress leaders alleged that Pradhan was responsible for the situation as he failed to keep the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas under control.