Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation staffers launch 'cease work' over 'assault' on senior colleague

EMPLOYEES of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), including sanitation workers, on Tuesday launched a 'cease work' protest over the alleged assault on an on-duty senior colleague the previous day.

- PBD BUREAU/PTI

On the other hand, police arrested two more accused in the assault case, taking the total number of arrests to five.

Wearing black badges, all employees of BMC arrived at the office this morning and staged a 'cease work' protest demanding immediate arrest of all persons involved in the incident and adequate security for them at the office.

"The way in which our senior officer was dragged from the office and assaulted despite the presence of security guards, we are all shocked and are feeling insecure in the office," a woman employee of the BMC said.

BMC commissioner Rajesh Prabhakar Patil said, "Our officers and employees are hurt by the unfortunate incident which happened in our office on Monday. They are staging a protest over the incident."

To ensure that such incidents do not recur in future, the BMC will take steps to enhance the security arrangements and maintain a protocol within the office premises, he said.

Sanitation workers in Bhubaneswar have called off their services in various parts of Bhubaneswar in protest against the assault on the additional commissioner of the BMC. The workers demanded the immediate arrest of all accused in the incident.

Due to the 'cease work' protest by the sanitation workers, cleanliness activities have been stopped and garbage has not been cleared.

Meanwhile, police arrested two more accused in the assault case. They were identified as Sanjeev Mishra and Sachikant Swain, residents of Bhubaneswar.