BJP Leader Jagannath Pradhan Arrested After Surrender

In a dramatic twist late Thursday night, senior BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan surrendered before the Bhubaneswar police and was subsequently arrested in connection with the brutal assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation's Additional Commissioner, Ratnakar Sahoo, on 30 June.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

Pradhan's arrest—despite having earlier denied any role in the attack—sparked protests by BJP workers, who blocked traffic on National Highway near Vani Vihar junction. He had narrowly lost the Bhubaneswar Assembly seat in the recent elections by just 37 votes.

Earlier, five BJP workers and known supporters of Pradhan had already been taken into custody. The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association launched a statewide strike demanding Pradhan's arrest, alleging he was the mastermind behind the assault. Their mass leave brought administrative work in multiple districts to a standstill for two days.

Despite mounting pressure, the state BJP leadership had until Wednesday night maintained that Pradhan was innocent. He had met with top party leaders, including BJP state president Manmohan Samal, and returned home without police action, even as law enforcement was present in large numbers nearby.