A woman block development officer (BDO) in Odisha’s Kendrapara district was allegedly attacked in her office by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader on 3 January 2026. The incident occurred at the Rajnagar BDO’s office, where the officer, Tilottama Prusty, was confronted by a group led by Lalit Kumar Behera. The officer was unharmed as others intervened to restrain the leader during the altercation.
As reported by The Indian Express, the confrontation began when Behera and his supporters entered Prusty’s office and allegedly pressured her to comply with their demands. Prusty, an Odisha Administrative Service officer, stated she would only follow government guidelines, which reportedly angered Behera and led to the alleged attack attempt.
This report noted, Behera, who had previously contested the Rajnagar Assembly seat on a BJP ticket in 2024, attempted to attack Prusty with a laptop. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed in the office chamber, providing visual evidence of the altercation.
As this report mentioned, Prusty has informed the Kendrapara district collector about the incident. However, as of the latest update, she has not lodged a formal police complaint. The district collector, Raghuram Iyer, confirmed that an inquiry has been ordered and a sub-collector is conducting the investigation.
“The officer — Tilottama Prusty, an Odisha Administrative Service officer — escaped unhurt after the leader was restrained by his supporters and government officials,” the report stated.
This article added, officials are reviewing the CCTV footage as part of the inquiry process. The district administration has not released further details regarding the findings or any potential disciplinary or legal action against the accused BJP leader.
This news report said, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of government officials and the need for strict adherence to protocol in official interactions. No statement has been issued by Behera or the BJP regarding the allegations as of the latest available information.
“Officials said the woman officer has informed the Kendrapara district collector about the incident but is yet to lodge a police complaint,” the report further noted.
Mentioned in this report, the inquiry by the sub-collector is ongoing, and authorities are expected to determine the next steps based on the findings. The safety and working conditions of administrative officers remain a subject of attention following this event.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.