Kendrapada: The arrest of Chameli Ojha, Sarpanch of Tikhiri Gram Panchayat under Mahakalapada block in Kendrapada district, has kicked off a political storm in Odisha, with opposition parties intensifying demands for a fair probe even as the state government sought a detailed report on the incident on Sunday.
The 33-year-old sarpanch, along with her brother Suryakanta, was arrested on Saturday after being discharged from the district headquarters hospital (DHH) on charges of abusing the block development officer (BDO) of Mahakalapada, Rabi Narayan Acharya, and assaulting two personnel inside the block office on June 11.
The Complaint & Counter Compliant
Ojha had earlier alleged that she was assaulted by the police and supporters of the local BJP MLA when she approached the BDO seeking clearance of pending bills.
Police, however, said that she was initially detained following the complaint filed by the BDO for misconduct and obstruction to official work. She along with her brother also assaulted police personnel, including a woman sub-inspector. She was admitted to the DHH after she fell ill at the police station and was formally arrested and produced before the court after being discharged from the hospital. The court rejected her bail plea and remanded her to judicial custody. However, the jail authorities admitted her to the hospital again in the evening amid heavy security.
Cases have been registered against him under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges for attempt to murder (Section 307 in some reports), obstruction, assault, and criminal intimidation, following a complaint filed by Mahakalapada BDO.
Opposition Demands Fair Probe
A BJD delegation, including leaders like Ganeshwar Behera, Ipsita Sahu, Rajnagar MLA Dhruba Sahoo, and former MLA Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, met the Kendrapada Collector and Superintendent of Police on Sunday, submitting a four-point memorandum. They questioned why no action had been taken on the counter-FIR lodged
by Ojha and pointed out unexplained injury marks on her body.
Sahu also alleged that a video released by the police had been edited to manipulate the narrative.
The BJD leaders argued that the public humiliation of a female leader exposes the ruling BJP’s “double standards” on its claims of women empowerment, terming it a direct assault on the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
Speaking to the media, Nayak strongly condemned the severe charges brought against the elected woman representative, labeling them a direct assault on grassroots democracy and women’s dignity. “A Sarpanch is the voice of the people. Yet, based on fabricated allegations, she was slapped with an attempt-to-murder charge (Section 307) and attempts were made to put her behind the bars within an hour,” he said.
Sahoo highlighted an alleged pattern of lawlessness and harassment of women under the current regime, accusing police of acting as “puppets” of the government.
The delegations also visited Ojha in the hospital to check on her treatment.
This came a day after a fact-finding team from the Congress, led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) chief Bhakta Charan Das, visited the hospital, expressed concerns over her safety, and met district officials. He alleged that the woman sarpanch was assaulted at the behest of Mahakalapada’s BJP MLA Durga Prasan Nayak, local saffron party leaders and the BDO. “The chief minister should order a fair inquiry and take appropriate action against all those responsible for attacking and manhandling an elected woman representative,” he said, while mentioning Ojha’s letter to the CM in which she accused the BDO of obstructing development works in her panchayat by withholding payments for completed projects.
Congress workers also staged a dharna outside Mahakalapada police station.
Govt Response
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan intervened, stating that the state government has officially sought a comprehensive and detailed report from the district administration and police regarding the incident. Assuring that the government is monitoring the situation closely, Harichandan cautioned against drawing premature conclusions based on media and social media reports. He noted that political reactions are natural during such incidents but re-emphasised that accountability would be fixed and appropriate action taken only after verifying facts.
Meanwhile, Kendrapada Collector Raghuram R Iyer stated that the SP would thoroughly examine the issues raised in the opposition’s memorandum. He also clarified that Ojha was undergoing treatment at the DHH as per her own wishes, despite requests for her transfer.