Block Development Officer (BDO) of Boden in Nuapada district Bhagirathi Mallik was physically assaulted by people of Budhipadar village on Sunday.
About a hundred people of Budhipadar village including women arrived at the block office at about 11 am and started abusing the BDO and other block officials. They were aggrieved that their panchayat office has been shifted to Farsara village.
The panchayat office of Farsara panchayat was located at Budhipadar since more than 20 years. The Government had allotted an amount of Rs 5 lakh for construction of a new building recently, and the district administration decided to construct the building at Farsara which was opposed by the people of Budhipadar.
Under pressure by his higher authorities, the BDO directed the JE to start construction work at Farsara, and the layout of the proposed building there was givenon Sunday. Knowing this, people of Budhipadar rushed to the block office.
“ These people were agitated when the BDO started taking their video footage while they were persuading the BDO to not to shift the office and started assaulting the BDO,” said an official of the block. “ Whoever then came to calm the people was beaten,” he added.
Block officials also complained that the police arrived at the spot after an hour although informed by the Assistant Engineer of the block in time.