BJP Leader Jagannath Pradhan Arrested Following Assault on Municipal Official

Arrest of BJP Leader Amid Protests
Jagannath Pradhan, a prominent figure in the Bharatiya Janata Party, was taken into custody in Bhubaneswar on Thursday after a significant protest by Odisha bureaucrats regarding an assault on a senior official, as reported by a local news outlet.
On Monday, a group of individuals violently confronted a municipal official in Bhubaneswar, forcibly removing him from his office during a session meant for addressing public grievances.
The official, Ratnakar Sahoo, who serves as the Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, claimed in his police report that a group of six to seven unidentified men entered his office and aggressively questioned him about his communication with Pradhan.
Sahoo informed the group that he had indeed spoken with the BJP leader earlier that day. He alleged that they attempted to drag him into a vehicle, insisting he apologize to Pradhan, although the reason for the apology remained unclear.
Over 3,600 officials, including 2,400 from the Odisha Administrative Services and 1,200 from the Odisha Revenue Services, had been on strike for three days, disrupting vital public services statewide, according to reports.
Employee associations have accused Pradhan of being the main instigator behind the attack on Sahoo.
Jyoti Ranjan Singh, President of the Odisha Administrative Services Association, stated that this incident represents an assault on the dignity of public service as a whole.
While Pradhan condemned the attack, he later claimed that the municipal official had acted inappropriately towards a female sanitation worker who participated in rallies led by the chief minister and prime minister, as reported by a local news source.
Pradhan also alleged that Sahoo had misbehaved with him when he sought clarification about the incident.
On Thursday evening, Pradhan presented himself at the deputy commissioner of police's office and was arrested shortly thereafter, according to reports.
“He surrendered to the police,” stated Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Meena. “He was informed about the charges and the initial evidence against him. We proceeded with the arrest and he was taken to court.”
Following his arrest, Pradhan's supporters organized a dharna outside the deputy commissioner’s office.
Pradhan has been attempting to secure a seat in the Bhubaneswar-Central assembly constituency on a BJP ticket since 2014, having lost the most recent election by a narrow margin of 37 votes.
Previously, five individuals were arrested in connection with the assault and face charges under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including attempted murder.