MALKANGIRI: A 12-hour Kalimela bandh by Opposition political seeking action against local block development officer (BDO) on Wednesday took twist after a woman sarpanch filed harassment charges against him.
Badigata sarpanch Lilly Sodi filed a complaint with Kalimela police alleging that the BDO Pradeep Kumar Kar attempted to outrage her modesty while she was in her office on May 2.
When contacted, the BDO said the allegation is totally false and fabricated. “On May 2, the day of the incident as alleged by the sarpanch, I was with the Malkangiri MLA whole day in a Rogi Kalyan Samiti meeting at Kalimela community health centre,” informed Kar.
Kalimela IIC Chandrakant Tandi said that the sarpanch had lodged an FIR with Kalimela police and after preliminary inquiry he submitted a report to the SDPO.
Meanwhile, the bandh demanding transfer of the BDO saw strong participation of all opposition political parties with businesses across the town downing their shutters.
Agitators hurled eggs at the Kalimela block office and protestors locked its main gate. Previously, elected PRI members from 23 gram panchayats had submitted a complaint to the collector on April 11. The collector had requested 15 days to investigate the matter. District Congress president Govind Patra, BJD leader Pradeep Majhi and BJD district unit president Manas Madkami participated in the protest against the BDO.