The assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), has been widely condemned, including by Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi. The BJP leader emphasized that the incident goes against her party’s principles. The assault occurred during a meeting at the civic body office.
Sarangi has appealed to Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure strict action to prevent similar occurrences. She noted that the BJP’s ideology does not promote such behaviour. The police have made arrests following the incident.
The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association postponed its planned protest after meeting with the Chief Minister, who assured them of punishment for the perpetrators. The incident has triggered a political dispute, with opposition parties expressing strong disapproval. Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik voiced his shock and called for immediate and exemplary action, including against any political figures implicated in the attack.