On camera: Odisha bureaucrat beaten, dragged out of his office
What's the story
In a shocking incident, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was assaulted by a group of men at his office. The incident took place during a public hearing on Monday when the men barged into his chamber and grabbed Sahoo by his collar and assaulted him. Sahoo was accused of misbehaving with "Jag bhai," an alleged reference to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jagannath Pradhan. As per preliminary reports, six men were involved, including BMC corporator Jeevan Raut.
Statement
What Sahoo said
"While I was conducting a grievance hearing around 11.30 am, five to six people, including BMC corporator Jeevan Raut, barged into my chamber. As soon as he entered the chamber, the corporator asked me if I had misbehaved with Jag bhai." "But when I refused, the people accompanying him misbehaved and manhandled me. They dragged me out of my office, thrashed me and were trying to forcibly take me to their vehicle," Sahoo said.
Assault details
Three people have been arrested
Sahoo alleged that he was dragged out of his office, thrashed, and taken to a vehicle by the assailants. Visuals showed him being pushed to the ground and kicked. An FIR has been lodged in connection with the incident, and three people have been arrested. The assault has sparked protests from opposition BJD corporators and BMC staff members, who staged a road blockade on Janpath Road in Bhubaneswar.
Twitter Post
Ex-CM Patnaik shares video
I am utterly shocked seeing this video.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 30, 2025
Today, Shri Ratnakar Sahoo, OAS Additional Commissioner, BMC, a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary was dragged from his office and brutally kicked and assaulted in front of a BJP Corporator, allegedly linked to a defeated… pic.twitter.com/yf7M3dLt9C
Protest announcement
BJD chief Naveen Patnaik expressed shock at the incident
The Odisha Administration Service Association has announced a "mass leave" from Tuesday in protest against the attack on Sahoo. BJD chief and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also expressed shock at the incident, questioning, "If a senior officer is not safe in his own office, then what law and order will ordinary citizens expect from the government?" He demanded action against the perpetrators, saying the "people of Odisha will not forgive this."
Official response
BJP leader responds
Taking note of the attack, BJP leader and Bhubaneshwar MP Aparajita Sarangi stated that the action of the purported BJP supporters does not represent the party's ideology. "We are proud of the ideology of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This kind of behavior is certainly not in line with the philosophy/ideology of the party. I condemn this behavior towards a government officer on duty. The law will take its course," the MP wrote on Facebook.