Odisha ACP Defends Viral 'Break Their Legs' Comment, Says Remarks Misunderstood

Odisha ACP Narasingha Bhol faced criticism after a video showed him ordering police to "break the legs" of Congress protestors. He later clarified the remarks were taken out of context and referred only to unlawful protestors breaching barricades. The incident has intensified political tensions following the Puri Rath Yatra stampede.

A senior Odisha police officer has come under fire after a video surfaced showing him allegedly instructing personnel to "break the legs" of protestors near Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s residence. The controversial comment was made during a Congress-led demonstration over the recent Puri Rath Yatra stampede, which claimed three lives.

The viral clip captured Bhubaneswar Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) Narasingha Bhol telling officers to use aggressive force against anyone crossing the barbed barricades. "If anybody reaches here, break their leg. Don’t catch them, just break their legs... Whoever breaks a leg, come to me and take a reward," the officer was heard saying. The comments sparked outrage online and from opposition leaders, who accused the government of encouraging police brutality.

Congress workers had organized the protest to highlight what they called “negligent crowd management” during the Rath Yatra, placing direct blame on the BJP-led state administration. Tensions rose as demonstrators clashed with security forces near the chief minister's residence.

Following the backlash, ACP Bhol issued a clarification, claiming his words were taken out of context. He explained that his instructions were meant only for situations where protestors broke through two layers of barricades, thereby becoming part of an unlawful assembly. “If someone breaches the barricades, the law allows us to apply maximum force to stop them,” he said. He also noted that his complete statement included instructions to arrest and detain protestors peacefully unless they crossed legal limits.

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Despite the explanation, the video has intensified political friction in the state, with opposition parties demanding accountability and disciplinary action against the officer. The controversy adds to growing criticism of how the Puri stampede and its aftermath have been handled by state authorities.