Forty Congress activists protesting against the arrest of former MP Pradeep Majhi and 18 other party workers were taken into custody by the police at Umerkote in Nabarangpur district of Odisha on Wednesday.
According to Nabarangpur district Congress president Narayan Patra, the arrested party workers were later released on Personal Recognisance (PR) bonds. Around 500 Congress activists had taken part in the agitation.
They had gheraoed the Umerkote sub-jail, where Mr Majhi and other party workers were lodged, as well as the local police station. According to police sources, these agitators had tried to enter into the sub-jail, because of which 40 of them were arrested.
Meanwhile, Mr Majhi and others are continuing hunger strike in protest against their arrest. According to sources, condition of Mr Majhi and two others has deteriorated.
The date of next hearing of their bail plea in the court of Nabarangpur Additional District Judge (ADJ) is July 1, said Mr Patra.
The Congress has decided to take up agitation in all the ten blocks of Nabarangpur district for the issues that had been taken up by the former MP, which led to his arrest.
