Angul: A youth leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been arrested on charges of mentally and physically harassing a woman in Odisha’s Angul district.

The accused, Sudipta Swain, former district president of the BJP Yuva Morcha (youth wing), was apprehended on Friday following a complaint filed by a 25-year-old woman, who works at a bank in Angul town.

According to the police, the victim alleged that Swain had been harassing her for the past few days. In her complaint, she stated that the accused repeatedly called her from different mobile numbers and issued death threats to her and her family. She also alleged that Swain intercepted her vehicle on the road and harassed her at her workplace and home.

The complaint was lodged at the Bantala police station on July 16. Based on her statement, police registered a case and arrested Swain under sections 296, 351(2), and 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Following the arrest, Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal took disciplinary action by suspending Swain from the party. The suspension was confirmed by Sudarsan Nayak, State Convenor of BJP’s Disciplinary Committee.

Police sources also revealed that multiple complaints had previously been lodged against Swain at various police stations, including Angul Town and Angul Sadar.