Begunia BJD MlA Prashant Jagdev allegedly assaulted Bolagarh Tehsildar Niharika Nayak on Monday evening over an issue of removal of an encroachment at Ekadalua village in the tehsil.
Protesting the incident, Bolagarh tehsil office staffs on Tuesday launched a cease-work agitation and demanded arrest of the MlA. later, they withdrew their strike following the intervention of the Khordha ADM.
According to reports, Jagdev had asked the tehsildar for demolition of a house at Ekadalua village to which the latter replied that it can be carried out next morning after measurements and other formalities.
“Prashant Jagdev forced me to conduct an eviction in the night. I assured him to do the needful in the morning. He threw a lantern at me and I fell down,” said Nayak.
Rejecting the allegations, Jagdev said, “I was on my way to attend a programme. I saw a house built on the road. I called the tehsildar at around 4 pm to conduct eviction of the house and arranged an excavator before leaving the spot. The officials failed to carry out eviction and called me to come to the spot saying that the owner of the house is ready for negotiation. When I reached, the tehsildar wasn’t present. I talked to the owner of the house and his wife, but they misbehaved with me. Another person present there threw a lantern and, in the meantime, the tehsildar reached the spot.”