What Led to the Arrest of BJP Leader Jagannath Pradhan? OAS Officers Return to Work!

Bhubaneswar: OAS Officers Back to Work After Arrest

The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officers have returned to their duties following the arrest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan, who is implicated in the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo. This information was confirmed by an official on Friday.

OAS officers had been on a collective leave since Tuesday after the incident where Sahoo was reportedly pulled from his office and attacked by a group of individuals on Monday.

According to Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena, Pradhan's arrest was made based on the victim's statement, testimonies from the accused, and evidence gathered during the initial investigation.

In total, six individuals, including Pradhan, have been detained in connection with this case.

After Pradhan's arrest, who is believed to be the primary instigator of the assault on Sahoo, the OAS officers ended their protest and resumed their duties on Friday morning.

Ashirvad Parida, deputy commissioner of Berhampur Municipal Corporation, stated, "We have resumed our duties today. Our demands have been met, and the association has directed all OAS officers to return to work."

Pradhan, who faced defeat in the 2024 Odisha assembly elections for the Bhubaneswar Central constituency, turned himself in at the Bhubaneswar DCP office on Thursday night.

He was subsequently arrested under various sections of the law, as confirmed by a police officer.

Following his court appearance, Pradhan was placed in 14-day judicial custody after his bail request was denied.

In response to the incident, security measures at the BMC office have been enhanced, with additional security personnel and armed guards now stationed at the building.

BMC Commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil mentioned, "After discussions with the police commissioner, we have increased security at our office. The personnel will receive necessary training to prevent similar incidents in the future."