District collector Pradeep Kumar Rath has courted trouble for allegedly misbehaving with a lady social worker in his office. Town police registered a case against him on the direction of Sambalpur SDJM for verbally abusing Pankajini Pradhan last month.
“We are investigating the case. It will be decided later if the collector is to be arrested,” town police station inspector R N Deo said.
Trouble started when Pradhan, who works for the empowerment of women in Jujumora block, went to meet the collector in support of another woman, Kalpana Seth, who was attacked in Jamloi village on October 21 last year after she refused to pay a ‘chanda’ to some villagers. Pradhan rescued the family of the victim woman and provided her shelter. Upon her pressure, Jujumora police registered a case in this regard but took no steps.
When the victim family did not get any justice even with the help of Pradhan, Seth put up a notice in front of the collector’s office on December 12, threatening ‘self immolation’.
