Bhubaneswar, July 3: The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association has issued a three-day ultimatum to the state government, demanding the immediate arrest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan, named as the prime accused in the alleged assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo.
The demand followed an emergency meeting of the association, where President Jyoti Ranjan Mishra addressed the media. He confirmed that while OAS officers will continue performing essential duties, including those related to Rath Yatra and flood management, the association expects prompt and firm action from the government.
“We appreciate the Chief Minister’s swift response leading to the arrest of several accused. However, the main culprit remains at large. The investigation must not be prolonged and should be concluded within three days,” said Mishra.
The association has placed three specific demands before the government:
- Immediate arrest of Jagannath Pradhan;
- Strengthened safety and security measures for officers at their workplaces;
- A public and unequivocal condemnation of the incident by the state government.
Reiterating their faith in the Chief Minister’s leadership, the OAS Association warned that failure to address these demands within the stipulated time would compel them to escalate their agitation.
The alleged assault took place during a grievance redressal meeting at the BMC office, when a group reportedly stormed in and attacked Additional Commissioner Sahoo. So far, five people have been arrested in connection with the incident, as confirmed by the Commissionerate Police.
Earlier, the OAS Association had unanimously passed a resolution condemning the attack and calling for stringent action along with enhanced workplace security for government officers.
