In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread outrage in Odisha, Ratnakar Sahoo, the Additional Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), was physically assaulted and dragged out of his office by a group of young men during a public grievance redressal meeting on Monday. A video of the incident, now viral on social media, shows the officer being punched, kicked, and abused as he was forcibly pulled out of his office, raising serious questions about the state of law and order in the region.
The video footage shows Sahoo being grabbed by his shirt collar and dragged outside the BMC office while the attackers hurled abuses and struck him repeatedly. The incident took place while Sahoo was conducting a review meeting in the absence of the commissioner. The attackers, reportedly six young men, stormed into his chamber and began assaulting him in front of shocked staff and visitors.
Attack During Routine Grievance Review
Speaking to the media following the incident, Sahoo stated that the attackers were unknown to him and that he would be filing an FIR to ensure action against them. “The attackers are strangers to me. I will report this to the higher authorities, and an FIR will be lodged soon,” he said. Sahoo described how a corporator, Jivan Babu, along with five to six others, confronted him during the meeting, accusing him of misbehaving with someone named Jaga Bhai. When he denied the allegation, the group began to manhandle him and attempted to force him into a car.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and the identities of the attackers are yet to be confirmed by the authorities. The assault led to an immediate sit-in protest by BMC employees within the office premises, who halted work for the day and demanded strict action against the attackers and better security for civic officials.
Naveen Patnaik Demands Action
Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed shock over the incident, condemning the attack and questioning the law and order situation under the current administration. Posting on X, Patnaik wrote, “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 emphasised that such incidents highlight the appalling state of safety for officers and citizens in Odisha and demanded immediate and exemplary action against not only the attackers but also the political leaders allegedly involved in orchestrating the incident. “If a senior officer is not safe in his own office, then what law and order will ordinary citizens expect from the Government,” he added.
The former Chief Minister urged the current CM Mohan Charan Manjhi to take swift action to ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable, warning that the people of Odisha will not forgive inaction on this matter. The incident has triggered a political storm in the state, with calls for immediate arrests and a thorough investigation into the assault on the senior bureaucrat as the administration faces pressure to restore public confidence in safety and governance.
