An engineer in Odisha was allegedly made to drink urine by his office peon on July 23.

Sachin Kumar Gouda, a junior engineer with the rural water supply and sanitation (RWSS) department at R. Udayagiri in Gajapati district, told police that the peon allegedly gave him urine when he asked for a bottle of water.

The engineer has lodged a formal police complaint. However, the motive behind the peon allegedly taking such an action is yet to be established. The district collector has directed the local administration to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

Gouda said, “I joined duty here on July 22. The next day, while I was working in the office, I asked for a bottle of water. The peon attached to my office brought me a bottle that contained urine. Seeing the unusual colour of the liquid, I got suspicious. I even tasted it, and it was salty. Later, I gave it to two of my colleagues, and they confirmed it was urine after tasting it.”

The engineer added: “The next day, I sent the sample to the laboratory, and the report showed high levels of ammonia, clearly establishing that it was urine. I informed my superior, but he did not respond. So I filed an FIR with the police on Wednesday. I want a full investigation. I want to know why I was targeted and humiliated in this manner. The accused should be punished.”

On the other hand, the peon, Sibranarayan Nayak, said: “I went to his chamber and after being asked for water, I returned with a bottle of water and some snacks. I took the water from the Aquaguard installed in the office. I don’t know who might have mixed urine in the bottle. Can anyone prove that it was my urine? I am ready to face the investigation.”

The local laboratory said: “We have found a high amount of ammonia in the sample. It has now been sent to the state laboratory for further investigation.”