Bhubaneswar: Senior Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu was allegedly dragged from his office and assaulted by a group of miscreants Monday, police said.
Sahoo has lodged an FIR at Kharvelnagar police station.
“An FIR has been registered at the Kharvel Nagar police station by the officer. We have arrested three persons so far,” Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena told PTI.
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The police have so far arrested Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debashis Pradhan. Further investigation is on. Involvement of other persons is being ascertained, the DCP said.
BJD supporters blocked the main arterial road Janpath, to protest the assault of the OAS officer.
The OAS association has demanded stringent action against the culprits, whose picture was captured on CCTV camera.
Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik in a post on X asked Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is also in charge of the Home department, to “restore faith in his government and not allow this heinous act to go unpunished like the assault on an officer by the ex-Governor’s son.”
The incident occurred when Sahoo was hearing grievances at his chamber in BMC.
“Around five or six unknown youths forcefully entered into my chamber. I thought that they had come to lodge their grievances. A corporator was also with them, who asked me whether I had misbehaved with BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan. With this small interaction, the group of miscreants dragged me from the office and manhandled me,” Sahoo told media persons.
The video of the officer being manhandled by a group of miscreants spread like wildfire and government employees in large numbers came to the streets. PTI, however, could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
BMC Mayor Sulochana Das, also a BJD leader, termed the incident as “highly unfortunate”. “The way in which a senior officer was thrashed itself says the prevailing law and order situation in the state,” she said.
In protest, BMC employees staged a dharna at the office premises and ceased work for the day, demanding immediate action against the culprits and enhanced security for civic staff.
Bhubaneswar MP and BJP spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi condemned the assault on the officer and said, “We are proud of the ideology of BJP. This kind of behaviour is certainly not in line with the philosophy/ ideology of the party.”
The law will take its course, Sarangi, who is also a former BMC commissioner, said in a social media post. She also demanded legal and organisational (from the party) action against the persons involved in the incident.
Patnaik in a long post on X said: “I am utterly shocked seeing this video. Today, Shri Ratnakar Sahoo, OAS Additional Commissioner, BMC, a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary, was dragged from his office and brutally kicked and assaulted in front of a BJP Corporator, allegedly linked to a defeated BJP MLA candidate.”
“What is more appalling is that this happened in broad daylight, in the heart of the capital city-#Bhubaneswar, to a senior officer while he was in his office, hearing grievances of people,” he said.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Assembly asked Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take immediate and exemplary action against not only those who perpetrated but, more importantly, the political leaders who orchestrated and conspired in this shameful attack.
“The people named by the officer in his FIR have behaved like criminals. If a senior officer is not safe in his own office, then what law and order will ordinary citizens expect from the government? I only hope that Shri Majhi directs immediate action to be taken to restore faith in his government and not allow this heinous act to go unpunished, like the assault on an officer by the ex-Governor’s son. The people of #Odisha will not forgive this,” Patnaik said.
