Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police on Tuesday arrested two more persons linked to the barbaric assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo, bringing the total number of arrests to five.
They have been identified as Sanjeev Mishra of Jharpada and Sachikant Swain of Laxmisagar, both earlier affiliated to the BJP.
On Monday, Corporator Jeevan Rout, Rashmi Mahapatra, and Debasis Pradhan were arrested in connection with the incident. They have been booked under Sections 333, 132, 121(1), 121(2), 109, 351(2), 62, 140(2), 304, 54, 61(2), 189(2), 190, and 3(5) of multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Also Read: Odisha BJP Suspends 5 From Party Over Brutal Assault On BMC Additional Commissioner
Notably, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal had suspended all five from primary membership of the party this afternoon for their alleged involvement in the assault case.
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Sahoo, an OAS officer, was allegedly dragged from his office and assaulted in full public view by some alleged supporters and workers of a local BJP leader, Jagannath Pradhan, while he was conducting the weekly public grievance hearing session in his chamber at the BMC office on Monday morning.
In his FIR, the Additional Commissioner mentioned that six to seven unknown individuals physically assault me without any provocation In front of the coroporator of ward 29, Jeevan Rout. He further stated that they threatened him and attempted to forcibly drag him into a vehicle, saying that he must “come to Sri Jagannath Pradhan and apologize”.
Also Read: Bhubaneswar Assault: Allegations By BJP Leader, Swachh Sathi Denied By BMC Additional Commissioner