Budhia in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, June 6: Budhia Singh’s new walk to fame was cut short this morning amid protests and a war of words.

The child wonder was about to embark on a 500-km walkathon from Bhubaneswar to Calcutta when police halted him in his tracks. The action followed an order from the state-run Khurda Child Welfare Committee not to “use the child in a long-distance walkathon”.

Khurda collector N.C. Jena and superintendent of police Amitabh Thakur were shoved by over 100 supporters chanting “Budhia Singh zindabad”. “I want to take my son for a walk. Who are you to stop me?” Sukanti, Budhia’s mother, asked the SP.

Budhia’s coach Biranchi Singh and members of the Budhia Singh Trust also pleaded with Thakur to allow the walkathon.

Their request turned down, Budhia’s mother went on a dharna. “I won’t budge until the walkathon is permitted.”