Jagannath Pradhan, a senior BJP leader and former assembly election candidate, was arrested in Bhubaneswar late Thursday in connection with the alleged assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahu.
Pradhan surrendered at the deputy commissioner’s office, saying he wanted to cooperate with the investigation. “If my arrest can resolve the issue, I am ready to cooperate,” he said.
Police later confirmed that Pradhan was taken into custody on charges related to assault and criminal conspiracy. Before questioning, he was taken for a standard medical exam.
Incident That Sparked Widespread Condemnation
The alleged assault took place on Monday at the BMC office. Video footage circulating online shows a group of individuals dragging Sahu from his office and attacking him.
Several individuals have already been arrested, including BJP corporator Aparaup Narayan Rout, along with Sanjeev Mishra, Sachikanta Swain, Rashmi Mahapatra, and Debasish Pradhan.
The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association reacted strongly. Calling Pradhan the “prime accused,” they issued a three-day ultimatum to the government demanding his arrest. The group began a ceasework strike on July 1.
Political Fallout and Internal Pressures
The Biju Janata Dal, now in opposition, quickly seized on the incident. Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik described it as “an assault on the rule of law.”
At first, the BJP brushed off the claims, saying they were just politics at play. But internal unease grew. Pradhan met Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal and pledged cooperation.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also weighed in. “No one is above the law, be it party worker or anyone else,” he said, signaling a shift in the party’s stance.
Services Disrupted Across the State
The protest by OAS officers has disrupted key public services across more than 20 districts. These include delays in managing land records and addressing citizen complaints.
With the standoff escalating, the BJP appears to have cleared Pradhan’s arrest in a bid to defuse public anger.
The controversy has escalated into a political blame game. Congress and BJD allege BJP is politicizing the bureaucracy, while BJP’s Pradip Purohit claims the BJD is behind the unrest.
For now, Pradhan remains in custody as investigations continue. Public services remain partially suspended while the political fight continues to unfold.
