BJD Workers Demand Jay Panda's Arrest For Flying Chopper Over Odisha Lake

The Biju Janata Dal workers staged a protest in Bhubaneswar, demanding the arrest of their former party leader Baijayant Jay Panda for allegedly flying his chopper over an "eco-sensitive zone" in Chilika Lake.

Former Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Mr Panda's chopper has already been seized by police on the charge that he had violated rules by flying over a highly sensitive zone. The investigation into the matter is underway.

Mr Panda, who quit Odisha's ruling BJD in May after he was suspended for an alleged "anti-party activities", was accused of flying his chopper over Chilika Lake around 1.30 pm on Saturday.

The Odisha Police in Puri have seized the hangar of IMFA, the company founded by Mr Panda's father.

The black box data from the chopper will be investigated to establish its flight details and whether it had landed in Chilika or had flown low over sanctuary, Puri police chief Sarthak Sarangi told reporters.

Jay Panda had a bitter exit from the BJD after a falling out with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The rift had widened over the past year, when the articulate and affable politician was removed as spokesperson of the BJD parliamentary party after he called for introspection after the party's setback in the local body polls last year.

Jay Panda holds a private pilot licence to fly aircraft and helicopters. In his Twitter bio, he writes he has clocked over 1,500 hours of flight time in a helicopter.