Police entered the Odisha Pradesh Congress office here on Friday and allegedly thrashed party workers as the protest against chief minister Naveen Patnaik’s failure to act against minister of state for home in the Kalahandi teacher murder case turned violent.

Congress workers were demanding the resignation of minister of state for home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged patronage to the main accused in the Mamita Meher murder case.

In response to an Assembly gherao call by the Congress students’ wing on the issue, hundreds of party workers had gathered at Lower Master Canteen Square near the Assembly, which is hardly 200 metres away from the Congress Bhavan, here.

As the Congress workers tried to march towards the Assembly from the protest site, the police tried to prevent them. The activists tried to breach the security cordon and a scuffle ensued. The protest suddenly turned violent and agitators succeeded in reaching the gate of the Assembly.

Chased by police for hurling tomatoes and eggs, most of the protesters ran towards the Congress Bhavan for cover. However, the police entered the party office and was seen beating up the workers. “They did not even spare the women activists. Many of us have been injured,” said an agitated woman Congress activist.

After the police retreated from the Congress Bhavan, party workers blocked the Rajpath, demanding suspension of the policemen.

President of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI-Odisha unit) Yasir Nawaz said: “We were protesting in a democratic manner. But the police used force to stifle our voice. But they won’t be successful. Many of our friends have been injured.”

Meanwhile, Congress legislators demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and demanded an apology from the police commissioner.

The police, however, said they were restrained in their approach in tackling the protest. “Police acted in a restrained manner. We are examining video footage of the incident to see how some of the activists indulged in violence and pelted stones, tomatoes and eggs at our men. They also tried to set a police vehicle on fire. However, the fire brigade officials acted promptly and averted a major incident,” deputy commissioner of police Umashankar Das said.

On Thursday, police had a scuffle with BJP workers near Odisha Assembly over this issue.

The issue also found an echo in the state Assembly where, as soon as the House convened for the day, Congress and BJP workers trooped into the well and started beating gongs and sounding bells to pressurise the Naveen Patnaik government into sacking Mishra who is an MLA from Kalahandi district.

As chaos continued, Speaker Surya Narayan Patro adjourned the House till noon and business was taken up for transaction after that. For the eighth consecutive working day, no business could be transacted in the House during the morning hour.