Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 1 : Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Mayor Sulochana Das on Tuesday strongly condemned the brutal assault on BMC Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo, saying that she felt unsafe in her workplace and demanded strict action against those involved.
Some miscreants have allegedly assaulted Ratnakar Sahoo inside the office of the civic body during a grievance redressing meeting on Monday.
While speaking to ANI, the Mayor said, "What happened yesterday should not have happened. It was really unfortunate. That officer was in charge of the grievance cell and hundreds of people were waiting to meet him to make their grievances heard. Five-six people came with a BJP Corporator and spoke to Ratnakar Sahoo, after which they dragged him and assaulted him. This shows the lawlessness in the city. No one is safe here."
She further demanded strict action against all those involved in the incident, saying, "Stringent action should be taken against them. I am thankful to the police for arresting three people. We demand that all people involved should be arrested. How will we serve the people? We are feeling unsafe in our own workplace."
In a post on X on Monday, Mayor Das said, "I strongly condemn the violent attack on BMC Additional Commissioner Shri Ratnakar Sahoo by a group of supporters of a political party at the @bmcbbsr office today. When I came face to face with the attackers soon after the incident, they further threatened to attack our officials. They did not even spare the lady Corporators who tried to come to Shri Sahoo's rescue. This is nothing but goondaism."
She further urged the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Commissionerate Police to take swift action on the complaint filed by Ratnakar Sahoo. "I urge @cpbbsrctc to act upon the complaint lodged by Shri Sahoo with the Kharavela Nagar Police Station and take prompt action against all the culprits to help restore confidence of our employees and people's faith in the rule of law," the mayor posted.
On Monday, the Commissionerate Police arrested three persons after registering a case in this regard.
The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association has decided to postpone its planned mass leave protest over the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, following a meeting with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi met with the members of the OAS Association for almost an hour at 11 PM on Tuesday, along with the CS, DGP, CP, and the AG, assuring them that the culprits and perpetrators behind the scenes will be strictly punished.
"However, the state association requests that all district associations and members of the fraternity meet tomorrow and condemn the incident, along with sending a copy of the resolution to the state association. Further courses of action shall be intimated by the State Association," the association said in a statement.
The incident has sparked a political row in the state, with the primary Opposition parties in Odisha strongly condemning the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday expressed his deep shock at the "brutal kicking and assault" of the Additional Commissioner BMC and called upon Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take immediate and exemplary action against the guilty, including "political leaders who orchestrated and conspired this shameful attack".
Patnaik said on X that the official was "dragged from his office and brutally kicked" and attached a video."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.