Bhubaneswar: The assault on an ASO by Governor Raghubar Das' son Lalit Kumar at Puri Raj Bhawan gained political momentum with a protest launched by the Congress party demanding his arrest.

Members of Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress and Odisha Pradesh Chhatra Congress staged a demonstration in front of Raj Bhawan in Bhubaneswar against an assault on ASO Baikuntha Pradhan, who was deployed at the Governor's House in Puri.

Demanding stringent action against Lalit Kumar, Congress' youth and student wings asked why the Governor's son did not tender an apology for this incident.

The protestors demanded the state government to order a probe into the incident keeping 'Odia Asmita' in mind.

The protest came a day after the state government transferred Baikuntha Pradhan to the Home Department from the Parliamentary Affairs Department in the wake of the incident on July 7 during his deployment at Raj Bhawan in Puri.

According to reports, Baikuntha Pradhan was deployed at Governor's House in Puri to supervise the preparedness for the stay of President Droupadi Murmu, who was on two-day visit to the pilgrim town for Ratha Jatra of Lord Jagannath.

As per complaint filed at Sea Beach police station at Puri, Pradhan was assaulted by Lalit Kumar and five others at Raj Bhawan in Puri on July 7.

Pradhan alleged that Lalit Kumar called him to Suite no. 4 of Raj Bhawan at around 11.45 PM on July 7. Once he reached the room, Lalit Kumar started scolding Pradhan with unparliamentarily languages. They slapped him when he raised an objection. To protect himself, he ran out of the room and hid in another building.

However, the two PSOs of Lalit Kumar traced Pradhan and forcibly took him back to Suite no. 4. Lalit Kumar and his aides again allegedly slapped Pradhan, hit his face with blows and kicked him mercilessly.

The victim informed the incident to the Principal Secretary to Governor and urged him for justice. He later lodged a complaint with Sea Beach police at Puri.