Bhubaneswar, July 30: Hundreds of residents of Ward 29 stormed the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) office here on Wednesday in protest against the arrest of BJP corporator Jeevan Rout. The protest, which unfolded just hours before the BMC’s monthly meeting, saw demonstrators break the office gate lock and force their way inside, demanding justice and accountability.

The protesters alleged that Rout was falsely implicated in a case involving the assault of a BMC officer, and claimed the arrest was politically motivated. They accused Mayor Sulochana Das and BJD Corporator Ajit Behera of selectively targeting Rout while shielding members of their own party from similar scrutiny.

Chants of “Justice for Jeevan Rout” echoed through the BMC premises as the crowd demanded the immediate arrest of Behera and the Mayor. The protest disrupted preparations for the civic body’s review meeting, which was expected to address key urban development issues under newly appointed Commissioner Chanchal Rana.

Adding fuel to the fire, residents pointed to a previous incident involving a BJD corporator from Ward 44, which they claim was resolved internally without public arrests. This perceived double standard has sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns over political bias in civic administration.

Security was tightened around the BMC office, and police were deployed to manage the situation. As of now, the Mayor’s office has not issued an official response to the allegations, or the demands raised by the protesters.

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