Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], June 30 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders and workers staged a protest in Bhubaneswar on Monday, following the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, the Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), inside his office.

BJD leader Ashok Panda described it as a 'barbaric act' and blamed the government for the complete breakdown of law and order.

He said if officers are not safe, then common people are also at risk, and demanded the arrest of the main person behind the attack.

Speaking to ANI, Panda said, 'This is a barbaric act. This is a complete failure of law and order. This city has always promoted peace and non-violence. Right under the nose of the CM, who is also the Home Minister, goons have ransacked the BMC office and brutally assaulted an Odisha Administrative Services officer. This is condemnable. When the officers are not safe, then what about the common man? This is a failure like the Puri car festival of the present government. The main conspirator should be arrested.'

Congress MP Saptagiri Ulaka accused the BJP of allowing 'gunda raj' in Odisha and stated that the government is unable to handle law and order.

He urged the Chief Minister to take immediate action.

'In the video, we can see a BJP Corporator along with his goons assaulting an Additional Commissioner of BMC. We have been raising this issue of gunda raj in Odisha for a year now. This is happening everywhere. The BJP is not able to handle the law and order situation and administration. The Chief Minister should take cognisance of this incident and take action,' Ulaka said.

The Congress party also strongly condemned the attack on Ratnakar Sahu, the Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, describing it as an example of lawlessness under the BJP's rule.

Congress stated that BJP leader Aparupa Raut and his supporters allegedly beat up Sahu and even tried to kidnap him.

In a post on X, the Congress party shared a video and wrote, 'In Bhubaneswar, Odisha, BJP leader Aparupa Raut, along with his goons, is beating up the Additional Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation.

'An attempt was also made to kidnap Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahu. Somehow, the Commissioner managed to save his life. This is the jungle raj of the BJP, where criminals are openly indulging in thuggery,' the post reads. (ANI)