Odisha BJP suspends five leaders over assault on BMC official

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 1 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party's Odisha unit on Tuesday suspended five of its members over their alleged involvement in the violence at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office, where Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was assaulted on Monday.
Odisha BJP's media cell said party's state unit chief Manmohan Samal has suspended five leaders - Corporator Aparup Narayan Raut, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Debashish Pradhan, Sachikanth Swain and Sanjeev Mishra, from the primary membership of BJP on the basis of allegations related to the violence at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation office, yesterday.
BJD leaders had strongly attacked the BJP government in the state over the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo.
Party chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday expressed his deep shock at "brutal kicking and assault" of Additional Commissioner of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (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".
BJD workers protested against the "assault" of Ratnakar Sahoo.
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.
The BJD leader said what is more appalling is that this happened in broad daylight, in the heart of the capital city to a senior officer while he was in his office, hearing grievances of people.
Hitting out at the BJP government in the state, he said "if a senior officer is not safe in his own office, then what law and order will ordinary citizens expect from the Government".
"I ask @MohanMOdisha Ji to take immediate and exemplary action against not only those who purported but more importantly the political leaders who orchestrated and conspired this shameful attack. The people named by the officer in his FIR have behaved like criminals," he said.
Patnaik said government should ensure immediate action.
"I only hope that Shri Majhi directs immediate action to be taken to restore faith in his government and not allow this heinous act to go unpunished like the assault on an officer by the ex-Governor's son. The people of Odisha will not forgive this," he said
Bhubaneswar Police arrested three persons on Monday for assaulting Sahoo during office hours. An FIR has been registered at Bhubaneswar's Kharvelnagar Police Station.
Those arrested have been identified as Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debashis Pradhan.
Police officials said that involvement of other persons is being ascertained. (ANI)