Engineer-in-Chief’s intervention sought in death threat to Kalahandi engineer by contractor brothers

The controversy surrounding contractor brothers- Nilesh and Akash Agrawal, accused of assault and issuing death threats to a Works Department assistant executive engineer in Kalahandi, escalated on Saturday with the Superintendent Engineer formally writing to the engineer-in-chief of Odisha seeking intervention.

According to reports, the contractor brothers allegedly threatened Ananta Pradhan, an assistant executive engineer of the Works Department in M. Rampur, at gunpoint, pressuring him to clear pending bills.  However, even after six days, police have not moved forward with concrete action in the case, triggering anger and dissatisfaction among engineers within the department.

Superintendent engineer Shivaji Pradhan, based in Bhawanipatna, has now raised the matter directly with the engineer-in-chief, demanding stern measures against the contractors to ensure the safety of government engineers and restore public faith in the administration.

“…it is to intimate that on 08.09.2025 at around 2.00 PM, a contractor, namely Nilesh Agrawal, brother of Akash Kumar Agarwal, Proprietor of M/s ARNS Infra Project Pvt. Ltd., Super Class Contractor, residing at Lathor Dist. Balangir Pin 767038, Odisha, along with 10 to 15 unknown antisocial persons loaded with weapons, forcibly entered the residence of AEE Sri A. Pradhan & threatened him to prepare an advance bill. They assaulted him both physically and mentally,” the letter read.

“In this connection, A. Pradhan has lodged an FIR at the nearest Local Police Station, M. Rampur, against the said individuals. A copy of the FIR lodged by A. Pradhan is enclosed herewith for your kind reference and further necessary action,” it read further.

Commenting on the matter, Pradhan said, “I have reported the matter to the higher authorities of my department. I have done whatever was within my capacity.” 

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This development comes close on the heels of earlier allegations against the Agrawal brothers, who were accused not only of issuing death threats to an Assistant Executive Engineer but also of large-scale corruption and illegal sand mining in Kalahandi and Bolangir districts.