Indian minister thrashes 2 Government officials, victims hospitalised

Mayurbhanj, Odisha: India’s Federal Minister Bishweswar Tudu allegedly thrashed two Odisha Government officials at the party office here in Mayurbhanj district on Friday.

Both District Planning Board Deputy Director Ashwini Mallik and Assistant Director Debashis Mohapatra have sustained injuries and were hospitalised.

A case has been registered in Baripada town police station against the Union Minister under sections 323, 325, 341, 294, 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

“District Planning Board Deputy Director Ashwini Mallik and Assistant Director Debashis Mohapatra were assaulted by Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu. Based on the complaint a case has been registered under sections 323, 325, 341, 294, 506 of IPC. The case is under investigation,” said KK Hariprasad, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Mayurbhanj.

“Mayurbhanj MP Tudu called District Planning Board’s Deputy Director Ashwini Malik and Assistant Director Debashish Mohapatra to the party office located near Takatpur for a review meeting. After the two officials reached the place, the minister asked his associates to close the shutter and thrashed the duo with a plastic chair,” Debasish Mohapatra, Planning Board Deputy director of Mayurbhanj told ANI.

He further said that Ashwini Malik sustained a fracture to his left hand, Debashish Mohapatra was also injured in the incident. Both have been admitted to Pandit Raghunath Murmu Medical College and Hospital here for treatment, he added.

The two have also apprised the District Collector about the alleged attack on them.

However, the minister has refuted the allegation saying that it is an attempt to malign his image ahead of the panchayat polls.

“The allegations are false and baseless,” he said.

Tudu added that the two officials had come for a review meeting while he couldn’t meet them as he was busy.