BJD MLA arrested on ‘sit-up’ row hospitalized

Balangir: BJD MLA from Odisha’s Patnagarh Saroj Meher, who was arrested on Monday for allegedly forcing a government official do sit-ups for poor quality of roads, was hospitalized today after falling ill in a jail here.

Sources said the MLA has been admitted to Patnagarh hospital this evening after he complained chest pain in Patnagarh sub-jail.

Meher was arrested hours after he was detained for questioning for allegedly forcing Public Works Department (PWD) Junior Engineer Jaykant Sabar to do sit-ups for the low quality work in the constituency.

In a viral video clip which was circulated on the social media, the MLA was seen forcing Sabar to do sit-ups in public glare and threatening that the people would beat him if he does not obey the order.

The police registered a case against the MLA on the basis of an FIR lodged by the engineer’s wife on June 6.