PARADIP: An FIR was filed by a minor girl at Kujang police station alleging misbehaviour by Kujang Block Development Officer (BDO) while she was travelling in a bus on October 15. Kujang police have registered a case against accused BDO Ashok Mohanty and started investigation.
A day before, the irate people of Sandhpur under Kujang police limits led by local Congress leaders staged a dharna before Kujang police station demanding arrest of the BDO. They alleged that on October 15, a 16-year-old girl of Sandhpur under Kujang police limits was going to Cuttack from Kujang in a bus in which the BDO was also travelling. While travelling, the BDO allegedly pulled the girl's hair, threw a piece of paper with his phone number written on it and passed lewd remarks.
After four days, when the girl returned home, she narrated the incident to her parents following which her father verified the phone number and found that it belonged to the BDO. He lodged an FIR at Kujang police station on Thursday. But, as no action was taken the girl lodged a fresh FIR on Saturday.
The BDO, however, termed the allegation as false. “I had given my phone number to another boy who was asking for contract work in the block. I was travelling along with other staff including ABDO, gram panchayat officer, accounts officer of the block office and was not alone,” he said.
Inspector-in-charge of Kujang police station Bichitrananda Samal said, “Police have started investigation after receiving the FIR. The Block Development Officer has been interrogated in his office on Thursday.”
The Congress agitation was led by lawyer ND Yadav and party leader Dhaneswar Guru.