JAGATSINGHPUR: Kujang block development officer (BDO) Souymashree Panigrahi is in the eye of a storm following the circulation of a video showing him slapping a common man in public.
As per sources, one Durga Prasad Parida, 47, hailing from Jagannathpur village within Kujnag police limits had been demanding a house under the government scheme for long but in vain. Aggrieved with the local block officials, on Tuesday, he intercepted the BDO while he was going to office and charged him of being biased. Parida reportedly used filthy language while scolding the officer in public. Irked, Panigrahi slapped Parida in public view. However, the whole episode was recorded by onlookers and was finally up on social media.
As soon as the video went viral, collector Parul Patwari directed sub-collector Pradip Kumar Sahoo to conduct an inquiry. Contacted, Panigrahi agreed that Parida had been demanding a house under Indira Awas Yojana but the administration refused as the scheme has been abolished. “But Parida scolded me in filthy language in an inebriated condition which angered me and I slapped him,” said Panigrahi.
Meanwhile, the inquiry against the officer began on Tuesday evening. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) has lodged an FIR against Panigrahi on Wednesday demanding his arrest.