The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office on Monday saw dramatic scenes unfolding when a group of men allegedly “dragged and mishandled” its Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo during a grievance redressal meeting.
A total of three people have been arrested in the case after Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena informed that an FIR has been filed.
According to reports, he was assaulted for allegedly behaving badly with BJP leader Jagnnath Pradhan or “Jag bhai”. They took hold of his collar when Sahoo came to the chamber. He was kicked on his, videos surfaced on social media show.
“Around five or six unknown youths forcefully entered into my chamber. I thought that they have 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,” PTI quoted Sahoo as saying.
The BMC official said they tried to kidnap him by forcibly putting him into a vehicle.
The assault sparked a series of protests by municipal corporation staff and opposition Biju Janata Dal corporators.
Additionally, the Odisha Administration Service Association (OAS) has announced a mass leave starting Tuesday as a form of protest against the incident.
‘What law and order will ordinary citizens expect if senior office not safe’
BJD leader and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik slammed the BJP government while condemning the attack and sought Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s action against the attack and political leaders behind it.
“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,” Patnaik said.
He questioned, “If a senior officer is not safe in his own office, then what law and order will ordinary citizens expect from the Government?”
“I ask @MohanMOdisha Ji to take immediate and exemplary action against not only those who perpetrated but more importantly the political leaders who orchestrated and conspired this shameful attack. The people named by the officer in his FIR have behaved like criminals,” he mentioned.
“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,” the former CM added.