In a disturbing incident, a woman Block Development Officer (BDO) was allegedly attacked by a BJP leader inside her office in Odisha’s Kendrapada district, an official said on Saturday.
The incident took place around 12 noon on Friday at the Rajanagar block office. The entire incident has been captured on CCTV installed in the office chamber.
Reports said a group of around 40 workers from the saffron party led by Lalit Kumar Behera allegedly barged into the chamber of Rajnagar Block Development Officer Tilottama Prusty and told her to expedite some office work. Later, Behera attempted to attack her.
Prusty, an Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer, claimed that Behera attempted to assault her. However, he was stopped by his supporters from physically assaulting her.
No FIR has been registered in this connection so far. An administrative inquiry, however, has been ordered into the incident, police said.
“Rajnagar BDO has informed me of the incident through a written complaint. The sub-collector is inquiring into it. The complainant officer Prusty alleged that BJP leader Behera tried to assault her while on duty,” Kendrapara Collector Raghuram R Iyer said.
“CCTV footage of the incident is being verified. Such an incident of attempted assault of an officer is unfortunate. The administration has taken it seriously and will ensure steps to avert the occurrence of such incidents in future,” added Iyer.
The employees of the BDO office, meanwhile, have resorted to ceasing work, protesting the attack on the woman officer. On the other hand, vehicular traffic in the town was disrupted as BJD workers blocked the entry road of the town.
Behera was not available for comment.
The alleged attack has triggered widespread outrage and renewed debate over the security of women officers performing official duties, particularly at the grassroots level.
Both the opposition BJD and Congress have criticised the incident.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das in a social media post said, “Attack on a woman BDO at Rajnagar Block Office by BJP leader Lalit Behera and his supporters, exposed BJP’s politics of intimidation.
“Although she narrowly escaped unharmed from the incident, captured on CCTV, it lays bare the BJP’s culture of arrogance and goondaism. I strongly condemn this incident and demand strict action against the accused. Odisha will not tolerate threats to women or the misuse of power to browbeat government officials,” Das said.
BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, “We strongly condemn the barbaric attack on the lady BDO of Rajnagar by a mob of 30 hoodlums, led by BJP leader Lalit Behera.”
