OAS Association Issues 3-Day Ultimatum to Government Over Attack on BMC Official

Bhubaneswar: 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, who has been named as the prime accused in the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo.

Addressing the media following an emergency meeting, OAS Association President Jyoti Ranjan Mishra stated that while the officers would continue to perform their duties in flood-affected areas and during the ongoing Rath Yatra, the association expects swift and decisive action from the government.

“We trust our Chief Minister and thank him for the prompt arrest of several accused. However, we demand the immediate arrest of the main accused. The investigation must not drag on for months and should be completed within three days,” Mishra said.

The association has outlined three key demands: the immediate arrest of Jagannath Pradhan, assurance of safety and security for all government officers, and a strong public condemnation of the attack by the state government.

The assault reportedly occurred inside the BMC office during a grievance redressal meeting, when a group of miscreants allegedly attacked Sahoo. The incident has sparked outrage among administrative officers across the state.

Condemning the incident, the association unanimously passed a resolution seeking exemplary punishment for the attackers and called for enhanced security arrangements for officers at their workplaces.

So far, Commissionerate Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the case. The OAS Association, however, warned that failure to arrest the prime accused within the given timeframe would lead to intensified agitation.