Bhubaneswar: The OAS Association called off its cease-work agitation following the arrest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan in connection with the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo.
Association president Jyoti Mishra said all officers will resume duty from Friday as their key demand has been met.
Odisha police arrested Pradhan late Thursday night after he appeared at the deputy commissioner of police’s office. With his arrest, the total number of people taken into custody in the case has risen to six. He was taken to Capital Hospital for a medical examination and later produced in court. After his bail plea was rejected, he was remanded to 14 days of judicial custody.
The incident occurred June 30 during a public grievance hearing at the BMC office, where a group of six to seven individuals allegedly attacked Sahoo. In his complaint, Sahoo alleged that the attackers grabbed him by the collar, dragged him, and assaulted him. He also accused Pradhan of making derogatory remarks.
Earlier, five others were arrested in the case: BJP corporators Jiban Raut, Rashmi Ranjan Mahapatra, Debasish Pradhan, Sachikanta Swain, and Sanjeeb Mishra.
The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association alleged that Pradhan is the “main accused” and the “mastermind” of the attack. The association submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, demanding Pradhan’s immediate arrest and stronger security for field officers.
The OAS body had issued a three-day ultimatum, calling for a public condemnation of the incident and action against those involved. Officers across more than 20 districts went on mass leave to protest the attack, disrupting administrative work statewide.
