Somnath Sahoo, a BJP youth wing leader, was arrested near Jaleswar, Odisha, after allegedly stealing about 100 grams of gold from a jewellery shop and attempting to flee the scene in his SUV. The incident triggered a heated political debate between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress.
The theft took place around 1:30 pm on Thursday when Sahoo reportedly stole ornaments from a Jaleswar jewellery store. Shop staff and locals chased him for nearly 8 km until his vehicle crashed into a divider near Lakshannath Road. Locals detained him and handed him over to the police, who arrested him that night. Sahoo hails from the Habibpur area of Midnapore.
At a press briefing in Kolkata, Trinamool leaders presented photos of Sahoo with BJP politicians, including BJP MLA Hiraan Chatterjee, claiming Sahoo was the district secretary of the BJP Youth Morcha (BYJM). They demanded answers from BJP leaders about their association with Sahoo.
Responding to the allegations, BJP MLA Hiraan Chatterjee said the photos were taken during the 2021 election campaign when he met thousands of people and could not identify who was involved in criminal activity. He praised Odisha police for impartiality in the arrest.
BYJM president Indranil Khan distanced the party from Sahoo, stating he was not an active member and had never applied for membership, only attending a few events and taking selfies.
The incident has stirred political tensions as both parties exchange accusations ahead of upcoming elections.
