Case against BJD lawmaker for forcing junior engineer to do sit-ups, says 'sorry... was compelled'

A PWD junior engineer, who was allegedly forced by a newly elected BJD assembly lawmaker in Odisha to do sit-ups in public, Friday claimed legislator had even asked an executive engineer to slap him, even as police registered a case against lawmaker.

alleged "rowdism" of Saroj Kumar Meher, first-time lawmaker from Patnagarh in Bolangir district, also triggered a row with opposition BJP coming down heavily on BJD government and demanding immediate arrest of lawmaker and Congress condemning incident.

Mr Meher, who drew criticism after a video purportedly showed him forcing a tribal-born PWD junior engineer to do sit-ups in public went viral, Thursday apologised for his action, claiming he did so to assu public anger.

Later on Thursday, engineer's wife lodged a complaint with police against BJD lawmaker, accusing Mr Meher of publicly humiliating her husband after calling him out of his home on Wednesday.

"We have registered a case against MLA at Patnagarh Police Station after proper verification. case has been registered under different sections of IPC and SC, ST Atrocity Act," Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Patnagarh Suresh Nayak told PTI over phone.

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Asked about allegation of kidnapping of junior engineer, SDPO said, "We have traced him and handed him over to his family. He was located at a place between Kantabanji and Khariar. He had gone re with friends and was t kidnapped as alleged by wife."

After returning home, junior engineer claimed he was forced to do sit-ups by lawmaker, who also asked an executive engineer to slap him in presence of villrs.

" MLA asked my executive engineer to slap me in presence of all. executive engineer might have slapped to save me from angry people who complained of poor quality of road construction work," junior engineer said.

family members and relatives of junior engineer have demanded immediate arrest and stringent action against lawmaker for his "highhandedness". Bolangir District Adivasi Manch has also demanded immediate arrest of lawmaker.

BJP's Odisha unit secretary Lekhasri Samantasinghar hit out at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for being silent on episode.

Senior Congress leaders, including lawmaker from Bolangir Narasingha Mishra, said it appeared that BJD legislator had taken law into his hands.

In video, Patnagarh lawmaker is seen allegedly reprimanding engineer over shoddy road construction work in his constituency in Bolangir district and asking him to perform 100 sit-ups in middle of road.

"I am sorry for incident. But, I was compelled to ask engineer to do sit-ups in wake of public resentment. People were angry over poor quality of road construction and y could have harmed engineer if I did t ask him to do sit-ups," Mr Meher told reporters in Bolangir.

Works Minister Prafulla Mallick, who did t comment on Patnagarh lawmaker's act, said considering resentment among people, quality of road construction works will be examined in area.

District Collector Arindam Dakua has sought a report into incident from Patnagarh sub-collector, a police officer said.

However, sub-collector was on leave for two days. incident took place when Meher visited Belpada block in Bolangir on Wednesday.