BJP MLA Nabin Jain booked for celebratory firing at Ram Navami procession in Odisha

Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nabin Jain booked under BNS and Arms Act after videos showed celebratory firing during a Ram Navami procession in Odisha’s Titlagarh.

Updated on: Mar 29, 2026, 20:03:35 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty, Bhubaneswar

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nabin Jain was booked for allegedly engaging in celebratory firing during a Ram Navami procession in Odisha’s Titlagarh town on Friday, police said.

Odisha police book BJP MLA Nabin Jain after viral videos show him firing into the air during a Ram Navami procession in Titlagarh town.

Videos of the incident were widely shared online on Saturday, following which he was booked under Section 125 (acts endangering public safety) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, which deal with punishment for illegal possession, manufacturing, or use of firearms.

Jain had earlier dismissed the episode as a “playful” act intended to energise the crowd of devotees, initially claiming that the pistol used was a toy gun. However, police later confirmed that the firearm was licensed and registered in his name.

Bolangir Superintendent of Police (SP) Abilash G said the firing took place on Friday evening when a large Ram Navami procession was passing through Titlagarh town.

“Hundreds of devotees and supporters had gathered for the procession, which began at the Radha Krishna Temple and passed through key junctions, including Shastri Chowk and Old Bank Chowk,” he said.

Eyewitnesses said that amid the celebrations, Jain allegedly fired three rounds into the air at different points along the route.

Police said a sub-inspector deployed on law-and-order duty during the procession lodged a complaint after coming across the videos.

The videos circulating on social media showed Jain waving a flag before taking a pistol from his personal security officer, Premachand Nag, and firing into the air. He was then seen handing the weapon back to Nag.

Nag was suspended for alleged negligence of duty, police officers said, adding that he has been summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing probe.

Celebratory firing is prohibited under the Arms Act due to the risk it poses to public safety, police said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

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