‘Defunct CCTVs, lax security’: BMC Mayor blames Smart City officials for OAS officer’s assault

In the wake of the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo inside the BMC office premises on Monday, Mayor Sulochana Das has publicly criticised the Smart City Authority, alleging gross negligence in building security and infrastructure maintenance.

Attending an urgent high-level meeting today at the BMC headquarters to review and revamp security arrangements in view of the incident, the Mayor claimed that shocking security lapses led to the unsavoury incident.

Mayor Points to Non-Functional CCTV, Delayed Maintenance

According to Mayor Das, CCTV cameras at the BMC building have been defunct for a prolonged period, a lapse she attributed directly to the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL), which is officially responsible for building maintenance and surveillance systems.

“Why was this issue not flagged and resolved earlier, despite Smart City being in charge?” Das questioned. “If Smart City is incapable of handling these responsibilities, they should transfer them back to BMC,” she added.

The Mayor also raised questions over the alleged laxity of security personnel, asking how the assailants managed to enter and attack an officer despite visible deployment. Notably, the assault took place during a public hearing, a time when an additional security presence is typically expected.

BMC Holds Emergency Security Meeting

In response to the incident, a closed-door meeting was convened at the BMC office on Wednesday, involving top civic and police officials. Commissioner S Debadatta Singh, Additional Commissioners Ratnakar Sahu and Shubhendu Sahu, senior officers from the Smart City project, members of the security agency, and the standing committee attended the session.

The agenda focused on understanding the security breach, identifying accountability for the malfunctioning CCTV system, and setting corrective measures to avoid recurrence. Discussions included the possibility of deploying gunmen at key civic offices if necessary.

During the meeting, all stakeholders were asked to explain why no preventive mechanisms were in place and what steps would be taken going forward.

However, there was also discussion about whether the entire responsibility for surveillance and security should be reclaimed by BMC if Smart City infrastructure continues to underperform.