A tense situation has gripped Odisha’s Kendrapara district after Rajnagar Block Development Officer (BDO) Tilottama Prusty was allegedly targeted in an attempted assault by a BJP leader inside her own office. The incident, which took place on Friday, involved a group of workers led by Lalit Kumar Behera who reportedly barged into the chamber of the OAS officer to demand that certain administrative tasks be expedited.
As has been quoted from Prusty, “The situation soon turned ugly, with an attempt by Behera to physically assault me. It was actually his own supporters who intervened to hold him back, otherwise there could have been a bigger brawl.” The whole scene had been recorded live by the office's CCTV cameras.
While a formal FIR is yet to be registered, Kendrapara Collector Raghuram R Iyer has already ordered a high-level administrative inquiry led by the sub-collector. "The CCTV footage is being verified. An attempt to assault an officer on duty is a serious matter, and we are taking steps to ensure such incidents do not happen again," said Iyer.
The local reaction was immediate. Employees at the BDO office have launched a "cease work" protest, bringing administrative functions to a halt. Meanwhile, the town saw significant traffic disruptions as BJD workers blocked major entry roads in protest.
Political condemnation has poured in from across the aisle. OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das slammed the act as "goondaism" and a display of "politics of intimidation," while BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty described the incident as a "barbaric attack" by a mob of hoodlums. Lalit Behera has not yet surfaced to comment on the allegations or the footage.
Also read: Odisha Police arrest key accused in ₹40-crore investment fraud
Follow us
