Odisha BJP chief arrested over assault on govt. officer; civil servants return to work

BJP chief Jagannath Pradhan was arrested late on Thursday night in reference to the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, Extra Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Company, ending a mass protest by civil servants that had severely affected the functioning of State authorities workplaces.

Mr. Pradhan, the alleged mastermind behind the assault, was arrested after he surrendered earlier than Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena, who knowledgeable him of the fees in opposition to him.

“I’ve come right here to cooperate with the investigation,” the BJP chief stated and asserted that he had no reference to the assault on Mr. Sahoo. The arrest of Mr. Pradhan has come as a humiliation for the ruling get together.

Disaster averted

The arrest has averted a significant administrative disaster, with members of the Odisha Administrative Service Affiliation (OASA), the most important physique of civil servants within the State, resuming work. There are 2,248 sanctioned posts for OAS officers within the State, and greater than 1,800 officers are posted in key administrative roles on the district and State ranges.

The OASA had made it clear that its members wouldn’t return to obligation till Mr. Pradhan was arrested, naming him because the prime accused and kingpin of the assault on Mr. Sahoo.

The assault occurred on June 30 when a bunch of BJP employees, allegedly linked to Mr. Pradhan, dragged Mr. Sahoo out of his workplace and beat him up.

The video of the assault went viral, evoking widespread condemnation from all quarters. The town police had arrested 5 individuals in reference to the assault. The State unit of the BJP had suspended 5 get together employees, together with a corporator, from its major membership.