JAGATSINGHPUR: Tension erupted at Kujang block of the district on Friday after elected representatives of various panchayats led by block chairperson Ninarani Sahoo allegedly assaulted block development officer (BDO) Deepak Prasad Swain. They also reportedly held Swain hostage and threatened to murder him if he did not award them contract work for all developmental projects.
Swain has sustained injuries in the head, chest and hands.
Sources said Swain was attending a public hearing at Paradipgarh panchayat when he received a phone call from chairperson Sahoo demanding his immediate presence at the block office. Soon after, vice-chairperson Gyanjit Swain too, allegedly threatened Swain to arrive at the block office within 10 minutes or be forcibly taken there. In response to the threats, he left the public meeting midway and headed for the block office.
However on his arrival, an irate group of sarpanches and panchayat samiti members from different panchayats allegedly forcibly escorted Swain to the conference hall where they attacked him further demanding him to allot all the contract works to them. They reportedly also forced Swain to sign some blank papers and false bills.
When Swain refused, they assaulted him causing injuries to his head, chest and hands, further threatening to murder him if he did not resign. On being informed, Kujang police reached the spot and rescued Swain and other block officials. Later, the BDO lodged an FIR against the elected representatives involved in assaulting him. He also sought intervention of district collector J Sonal to take appropriate action.
Meanwhile, lodging a counter FIR, sarpanch of Gorada panchayat Nalini Nayak along with chairperson Sahoo alleged the panchayat samiti members were merely discussing progress of developmental works when some miscreants, allegedly incited by Swain forcibly entered and ransacked the office.
“When we protested, Swain and his supporters attacked me, my husband and other attendees. He also locked the sarpanches and panchayat samiti members in the hall for several hours,” Nayak stated in her complaint.
Local residents claim the dispute stems from a power struggle between elected representatives of the BJD and BJP. When the BJD was in power, the party’s supporters received the contract works. However, since the BJP is now in control, its members are demanding the contracts. The refusal to allocate contracts to BJD-backed representatives has led to the violent confrontation, with BDO Swain caught in a crossfire.
Kujang IIC Rasmi Ranjan Das said two cases were registered. “However, no arrests have been made so far in this connection and investigation is underway. The situation was brought under control after police intervention,” he added.