Odisha BJP MLA allegedly 'abuses, assaults' woman cop; video goes viral

The BJP MLA from Sambalpur, however, dismissed the charge and claimed that the Dhanupali Police Station Inspector in-charge, Anita Pradhan, had pushed him. Pradhan was on duty during a BJP protest led by Jayanarayan Mishra when the alleged incident took place.

Odisha's Leader of Opposition Jaynarayan Mishra has stirred controversy by allegedly assaulting a woman police officer, after accusing her of taking bribes, during a BJP protest in Sambalpur. However, the Sambalpur-based BJP MLA rejected the accusation and said that Anita Pradhan, the inspector in charge of the Dhanupali Police Station, had shoved him.

As part of the statewide uproar over the "worsening law and order situation," both filed police reports in relation to the incident, which took place on Wednesday during a BJP demonstration outside the district collector's office in Sambalpur.

A group of BJP members were marching towards the Sambalpur district collector's office while our police officers attempted to maintain control of the situation.

According to Pradhan, as BJP workers were trying to barge into the premises, she came face-to-face with Mishra, who asked who she was. At this time, I came face-to-face with the MLA, who asked me for my credentials," Pradhan said, adding that the Sambalpur legislator then began hurling abuses at her that she protested. "He referred to me as a dacoit and accused me of accepting bribes once I identified myself. When I inquired why he was levelling such claims, he pushed me in the face," the female officer added.

This behaviour by someone in a constitutional position was entirely inappropriate, she added.

BJP workers scuffled with police personnel during the protest when they were stopped during their march to the district collector’s office. Social media videos allege to capture Mishra yelling at the IIC and threatening to smack her.

Mishra, however, dismissed the charge, saying that he went to the forefront upon hearing that the police were "torturing" women workers. Sambalpur Superintendent of Police B Gangadhar said that he has sought a field report of the incident and the matter will be inquired.

(with PTI inputs)