Bhubaneswar, Feb 16 (IANS): The scuffle between the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly Jayanarayan Mishra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a woman police inspector during a protest in Sambalpur has sparked a controversy in the state.

Protesting the "deteriorating" law and order situation in Odisha, when the BJP members led by Mishra took out a massive rally towards Sambalpur Collector's office on Wednesday, a clash took place between Mishra and Dhanupali police station Inspector in Charge Anita Pradhan.

Pradhan alleged that she had been misbehaved with and assaulted by Mishra during the protest.

Demanding Mishra's removal from his position, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers and leaders on Thursday, staged demonstrations in Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur.

BJD leader and Bhubaneswar mayor Sulochana Das alleged that Mishra not only manhandled the police officer but also physically assaulted her.

"Such behaviour by a lady police officer on duty is not acceptable and the BJD strongly condemns such an act," she said.

"Mishra should resign from his position as LoP of Odisha Assembly on moral grounds. If he is not doing so, the Odisha BJP leaders should convince him to resign," said BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra.

Reacting to the BJD's protest, Mishra said: "As I am continuously exposing the state government to minister Naba Das' murder case, a conspiracy was made to wipe me out. The law and order situation is totally collapsed in the state and no one is safe in Odisha."

Refuting the allegations levelled against him, the BJP leader said: "I don't even know her. She was somewhere else and suddenly appeared before me and pushed me."

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and senior BJP leader D. Purandeswari too slammed the BJD in the matter.

Meanwhile, two separate police complaints were lodged on this matter.

Deepak Kumar, DIG, Northern Range, said a case has been registered and an investigation would be done by examining the video footage of the incident, witnesses, and other evidence.