Odisha MLA Prafulla Samal’s son Prayaskanti steps down from Barapada college management

Barapada: Prayaskanti Samal, son of Bhandaripokhari MLA Prafulla Samal, today resigned from the post of Barapada School of Engineering and Technology president. The much-debated educational institution is located in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.

A source said that staff of the engineering college had been agitating for around the last five months demanding Prayaskanti’s resignation, payment of arrear salaries, reinstatement in service, and inquiry into alleged money laundering.

Recently, on March 21, the district administration imposed Section 144 around the college campus up to a distance of 100 meters for an indefinite period.

Prayaskanti had been looking after the college’s management as president since 2010. “I resigned in the better interest of the college and its staff,” the former president said.

Prayaskanti appealed to the Bhadrak district Collector to hold review meetings among the college principal and managing committee members once every three months. He also requested the Collector to look into the issues faced by the college through discussion.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Enforcement Directorate had carried out simultaneous raids at 10 places associated with the MLA and his son on February 15, in Bhadrak town and Bhubaneswar. The agency seized an SUV and Rs 9 Lakh from Prayaskanti’s house at Palashpalli in the State Capital.