BDO alleges assault by 'Sarpanch'

A Block Development
Officer (BDO) in Jajpur district has alleged that he was assaulted by a 'Sarpanch' and his supporters at his office over the clearance of a pending Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) bill inOdisha's Jajpur district.
Dasarathapur BDO Ambika Prasad Dash lodged an FIR at Mangalpur police station alleging that he was ill treated and physically assaulted by Biripata Gram Panchayat Sarpanch Chittaranjan Nayak, former Sarpanch Manoranjan Das and their supporters, who belong to ruling BJD, in his official chamber yesterday, police said.
"Biripata 'Sarpanch' barged into my official chamber along with some of his supporters including former Sarpanch around 1.30 pm. They asked me to sanction a bill relating to IAY scheme.

"I expressed my helplessness to clear that bill because the rule did not permit me as the construction is not complete. Then the 'Sarpanch' and its supporters abused me in filthy language," the BDO stated in his FIR.
They got enraged and beat me in my official chamber, the FIR claimed.

Dasarathpur BDO Mr Dash had gone to the police station in person to lodge the FIR, police said.
"The BDO has accused Biripata Sarpanch, former Sarpanch and their supporters of misbehaving and beating him in his office," said Sanjaya Kumar Parida, officer-in-charge of Mangalpur police station.
A case has been registered and investigation is on. No one has been arrested so far, he said.

On the other hand, the Biripata Sarpanch blamed the BDO for the incident. Rejecting the allegation, Sarpanch Nayak said neither he nor his supporter had beaten the BDO.
"I had gone to the office chamber of the BDO along with my supporters to request the latter to clear a bill relating to IAY which has been pending in the block office for the last so many months. Neither me nor any of my supporters had assaulted the BDO," claimed Sarpanch Nayak adding rather the BDO had misbehaved with them, he said.
Police have been deployed in the block office premises soon after the incident.