Kendrapara, June 12: The controversy surrounding the police action against Tikhiri Sarpanch Chameli Ojha has intensified, with the District Sarpanch Association extending support to her and announcing a gherao of the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in protest.
The incident reportedly occurred when Chameli Ojha visited the office of Mahakalapada BDO Rabinarayan Acharya to discuss various issues related to her panchayat. An argument allegedly broke out between the two, following which police intervened.
As police took her away, Chameli went live on social media, claiming that she was being detained. She also alleged that her younger brother had been taken into custody. Accusing the police of acting with ulterior motives, Chameli claimed that she was mistreated and physically assaulted during the incident. She later fell ill and is currently undergoing treatment at the district headquarters hospital.
Meanwhile, Mahakalapada Police arrested Chameli’s younger brother, Suryakanta Ojha. According to police, he entered the BDO’s chamber, recorded videos, misbehaved with the BDO and allegedly assaulted police personnel. He was arrested on the basis of these allegations.
In a counter move, BDO Rabinarayan Acharya lodged a complaint against Chameli Ojha at Mahakalapada police station. On the other hand, Chameli’s father, Niranjan Ojha, alleged that his daughter was being targeted due to political vendetta.
Kendrapara SP Siddharth Kataria stated that an investigation would be conducted after examining the complaints received from both sides.
As the issue gains political traction, the District Sarpanch Association has come out strongly in support of Chameli Ojha. The association has announced that it will gherao the SP office, alleging injustice and demanding a fair probe into the incident. The development has added a fresh political dimension to the controversy, which continues to draw widespread attention across the district.
