WATCH: Tomato hurled at BJD leader VK Pandian in Odisha's Ganjam, attacker thrashed by party workers
Later, VK Pandian acknowledged the attack and said people can throw eggs, tomatoes or even bullets at him but he will continue to serve Odisha.
Odisha News: A man threw a tomato at BJD leader VK Pandian during a program in Odisha's Ganjam district on Thursday. Following the incident, the 25-year-old attacker, who was later detained by police, was beaten by Pandian's party workers before police intervened and took him away.
Images doing the rounds on social media showed the man, later identified as Anil Kumar Mallick, being harassed and assaulted by Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers while police personnel intervened and broke up the scuffle.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:
#WATCH | Youth throw tomato at 5T chairman VK Pandian during a public meeting #Bellaguntha in #Ganjam neighbourhood; thrashed by BJD workers#Odisha #vkpandian #5t #bjd pic.twitter.com/1asPi97HyN
— Debadas Pradhan (@pradhandebadas) February 22, 2024
According to police, the incident took place in Belaguntha area where Pandian, who is also the chairman of 5T (Transformation) and Nabin Odisha, attended the 'Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha' (Our Odisha, New Odisha) program as the chief guest.
Mallick, who was part of the crowd that had gathered there to witness the event, threw a tomato at Pandian. However, the tomato missed Pandian and the man was immediately picked up by BJD supporters who started attacking him.
Police personnel present at the spot rescued Mallick, a resident of Biripur in Gangapur area, and detained him. The program continued as scheduled, an official said.
'Will continue to serve Odisha'
Later, while acknowledging the attack, Pandian said people can throw eggs, tomatoes or even bullets at him but he will continue to serve Odisha.
“You can throw eggs, tomatoes or ink at me or even fire bullets, but that will not stop me from meeting and serving the people of Odisha,” Pandian said in his speech at the programme.
Earlier, Pandian, a bureaucrat turned politician, had faced black flag protests and also an ink attack.
Viral 'Ink Attack'
A person in Puri district had hurled ink at Pandian in August last year when he was secretary (5T) to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
However, undeterred by the ink attack, Pandian had continued to meet the people gathered there and hear their grievances while still wearing the white shirt sprinkled with ink.
Ink attack on Odisha's 5T secretary VK Pandian while visiting a program at UGS College at Satyabadi in Puri district. One person has reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.#inkattack #Odisha #VKPandian pic.twitter.com/P7m9pUZV50
— Sharmili Mallick 🇮🇳 (@sarmeelimallick) August 19, 2023
Images of Pandian greeting the people while still wearing the ink-covered white shirt had gone viral on social media at the time, with users praising the then 5T secretary's courage and determination towards his work despite an attempt by the accused to humiliate him.
Pandian opted for voluntary retirement in October and joined the BJD.
(With PTI inputs)