Dozens of people were injured on Thursday including a female officer and 60 policemen after a protest gathering thousands of Congress workers turned violent in Bhubaneshwar, the capital of the state of Odisha, eastern India.

The Congress workers, who were protesting allegations of corruption against the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal government in the state, clashed with police after trying to storm the Assembly building, local media reports.

Police fired teargas and resorted to lathi-charge (meaning stick or cane) to control the crowd.

20 Congress leaders were reportedly arrested.

The thousands of protesters were demanding the resignation of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik alleging that he recommended people for allocation of coal blocks.