The controversy surrounding the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo has escalated further with the arrest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan of Jharpada by Commissionerate Police. According to officials, this brings the total number of arrests to six in connection with the violent attack.
The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has strongly denounced the assault, with BMC Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil expressing shock and promising strict measures against those responsible. As a show of solidarity, BMC staff wore black badges to protest the attack. “As an expression of solidarity with Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation officials are wearing black badges today to protest the incident,” Patil added.
Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das alleged BJP’s involvement, telling reporters, “BJP believes in having a violent approach…During a public hearing, an OAS officer, Additional Commissioner, was beaten and dragged by BJP workers…We demand that the BJP leader be arrested. BJP should take disciplinary action against their member…”
BJP Suspends Five Members; Bureaucrats Continue Cease Work Stir
According to Odisha BJP’s media cell, state BJP chief Manmohan Samal suspended five leaders — Corporator Aparup Narayan Raut, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Debashish Pradhan, Sachikanth Swain, and Sanjeev Mishra — over their alleged involvement in the violence. Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar Police confirmed that three individuals — Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra, and Debashis Pradhan — were arrested earlier, with investigations ongoing.
PTI reported that Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officers extended their ‘cease work’ agitation for a third consecutive day across the state, except in Puri and flood-hit areas, in response to the attack. OAS Association President Jyoti Ranjam Mishra said, “We demand the arrest of Pradhan who is behind the attack on the officer. We have full faith in our chief minister that he will take strong action against the conspirator.”
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari appealed to officers to end their protest, stating, “Have faith in us. It would not be proper to arrest someone without proper investigation and evidence.” Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan added, “No one is above the law. No one, including our party workers, should take the law into their own hands. I have full faith that the state government would take appropriate action in this incident.”
However, political tensions intensified with BJP MP Pradip Purohit accusing the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of orchestrating the officers’ strike for political gains, alleging, “The OAS Association’s strike is politically motivated to defame the government. They are holding the protest on the instruction of BJD leadership.”
Dismissing the accusation, BJD MLA Sarada Jena countered, “They don’t have the courage to take action against the BJP goons who have committed the assault on the officer.”
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