Kendrapada: Another man was arrested in connection with alleged misconduct against woman sarpanch Chameli Ojha at Mahakalpada Block Development Officer’s (BDO) office in Odisha’s Kendrapada district.
The accused, identified as Biswajit Mohapatra, was taken into custody on Saturday based on allegations made by the complainant. With this, the total number of arrests in the case has risen to three.
Police said Chameli Ojha, sarpanch of Tikhiri in Mahakalapada block, had alleged that seven persons misbehaved with her in the BDO’s office during a a recent incident.
Earlier, accused Parthasarathi Samantaray and Himanshu Pradhan had been arrested in connection with the case. The investigation is continuing to identify and trace the remaining accused.
Meanwhile, the controversy has triggered strong protests by the Kendrapada District Sarpanch Association. Members staged a demonstration outside the District Collector’s office, alleging that Chameli Ojha, an elected public representative, had been subjected to injustice and inhuman treatment.
The association demanded justice for the sarpanch, withdrawal of the cases registered against her, and restoration of her dignity. It also urged the administration to curb the alleged harassment of elected representatives by officials. Members of civil society also called for a fair and impartial investigation.
