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Two women level serious charges against BDOs

Staff Reporter

They are politically-motivated: officials

BERHAMPUR: Two women have charged two Block Development Officers (BDO) of Ganjam district with molestation and misconduct charges. FIRs have been filed on the charges. The officials allege these FIRs are politically-motivated as they were filed after these BDOs had charged Congress activists with ransacking their block offices a few days ago. The BDOs in the eye of the storm are the Khallikote BDO, Ramkrushna Sahu, and the Beguniapada BDO, Ashok Kumar Bhuyan.

On May 29 Congress workers, led by former State minister Ramkrushna Patnaik, held agitation at Khallikote and ransacked the block office. Similar incident was repeated at Beguniapada on May 30.

Following these incidents, both BDOs had complained against Congress activists, including Mr. Patnaik, at a police station.

After that, in a sudden move, a harijan woman from Kaithada village under Khallikote block complained against Mr Sahu with the allegation that he had tried to molest her. It followed a similar complaint by a woman of Bhaliajhar village who alleged that the Beguniapada BDO had made lewd remarks against her and had also tried to molest her.

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Bhuyan termed the allegation made against him baseless and politically-motivated to put undue pressure on administrative officials. He hinted that he was being dragged into legal hassles by some persons as he had dared to complain against politicians following ransacking of block office by them. He is in touch with his higher-ups to decide the further course of action. The administrative officials of the district are also getting united in support of the officials. They say: "If this kind of blackmailing would be tolerated then officials would not be able to work."

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