A group of people allegedly assaulted a senior official of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday during a grievance hearing. As per reports, Odisha police have arrested at least three people involved in the assault case.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said that an FIR has been registered for the case. The three arrested people have been identified as Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debashis Pradhan, according to news agency ANI.
Why was the official assaulted?
Ratnakar Sahoo, additional commissioner of the BMC, was targeted during public hearing on Monday after a group of people entered his chamber and grabbed him by the collar.
Videos of the attackers kicking Sahoo and hitting him on the head went viral on social media. As per initial reports, the official was attacked for allegedly misbehaving with BJP leader Jagnnath Pradhan or "Jag bhai."
"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," Sahoo was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
The BMC official further told reporters that the group also made an attempt to kidnap him by forcing him into a vehicle.
Assault triggers OAS mass leaves, protests
{{/usCountry}}The BMC official further told reporters that the group also made an attempt to kidnap him by forcing him into a vehicle.
Assault triggers OAS mass leaves, protests
{{/usCountry}}The assault triggered a wave of protests by staff members at the municipal corporation and corporators from the opposition Biju Janata Dal party.
Furthermore, the Odisha Administration Service Association (OAS) has declared a mass leave from Tuesday onwards as part of a protest against the assault.
“This is to formally inform you that the Odisha Administrative Service Association has unanimously resolved to proceed on a mass leave with effect from 1st July, 2025 in protest against the appalling and deplorable attack on the Additional Commissioner BMC, which occurred in broad daylight within official premises," read the official letter issued by the association.
Opposition parties condemn assault
Meanwhile, opposition parties in the state - the BJD and Congress - have called for strict action against the attackers.
Condemning the attack, BJD leader and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik hit out at the current BJP government
"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, calling on Odisha CM to take action against the attacks and political leaders behind the assault.
BJD leaders and workers also carried out a protest in response to the assault, calling the incident a "complete failure of law and order."
The Congress party also condemned the attack, blaming BJP's "jungle raj" for the attack.
"In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, BJP leader Aparupa Raut, along with his goons, is beating up the Additional Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation. An attempt was also made to kidnap Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu. Somehow, the Commissioner managed to save his life. This is the jungle raj of the BJP, where criminals are openly indulging in thuggery," read the official statement on X from INC.
BMC Mayor Sulochana Das also condemned the incident. Stating that "nobody is safe", the BMC mayor called for an attempted murder case to be filed against the attackers.
'Behaviour not in line with BJP's ideology," says leader
Taking notice of the attack and condemning the incident, BJP leader and Bhubaneshwar MP Aparajita Sarangi said that the behaviour shown by the alleged BJP supporters in the assault is not reflective of the ideology of the party.
"We are proud of the ideology of Bharatiya Janata Party. This kind of behaviour is certainly not in line with the philosophy/ideology of the Party. I condemn this behaviour towards a Government Officer on Duty. The Law will take its course," the MP wrote on Facebook.