BALANGIR: Three hours after Puintala Block Development Officer (BDO) was allegedly abducted by a group of miscreants in Balangir district, he walked into the Sub-Collector’s office on Friday.
Puintala BDO Saroj Kumar Mishra was abducted at 4 pm by around eight to nine persons from his office chamber. After the incident, Balangir police examined the CCTV footage, formed teams and started a rescue operation.
Even as the police had intensified search to ensure safe release of the OAS officer, the abductors released Mishra near the Sub-Collector’s office after three hours and he walked into the office, Balangir police said.
On receiving information, Collector Arindam Dakua and SP K Siva Subramani rushed to the Sub-Collector’s office and held discussions with the BDO to ascertain as to under what circumstances he was abducted and reasons behind it.
He is suspected to have been kidnapped over works and bill payments relating to a project.
The Balangir SP said vice-chairperson of Puintala block Raghunath Gurhandi was involved in the kidnapping. The BDO has been rescued and efforts are on to nab the culprits, the SP added.
Meanwhile, in a release from district Congress office, DCC president Dillip Kumar Behera stated that Raghunath Gurhandi has been expelled from the party due to his anti-party activities.
Behera also condemned the kidnapping and demanded action against the culprits.