Bhadrak, Oct. 8: Gayadhar Mallick, the block development officer (BDO) of Tihidi, has landed in a soup after flood relief materials were seized from his vehicle today. The district administration has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

The BDO, who was on his way to Bhadrak, was detained by Puruna Bazaar police following receipt of telephonic complaints from unidentified residents of the block about relief materials having been siphoned off from the block.

The sport utility vehicle of the officer contained 30kg chudda (flattened rice), 5kg gud, 5kg bleaching powder and two bags full of cattle feed, weighing 50kg each. The BDO’s peon, Banamali Behera, and his driver, Padmalochan Pothal, were also detained by the police.

“We intercepted the vehicle following complaints from the people of Tihidi block. We found chudda, molasses, cattle feed and bleaching powder inside the vehicle. We are investigating the incident,” said Sabita Majhi, inspector in-charge of Puruna Bazaar police station.

Inspector in-charge of Rural police station Manoj Rout said: “The vehicle was seized within the limits of the Puruna Bazaar police station bordering our police station. The case will be probed by the Puruna Bazaar police station.”

The BDO expressed his ignorance about the presence of relief materials in his vehicle saying some residents of the block had framed him in a false case. “Some local contractors have been after me ever since I had refused to clear their illegal bills. They have put me in this trouble,” Mallick said.

“I was not aware of the presence of chudda, gud, bleaching powder and cattle feed in my vehicle. These materials might have been lying there since the time of relief distribution. The peon or other staff might have kept these materials in my vehicle. Neither have I any knowledge of this nor do I have any mala fide intention,” he said.

District collector Akshay Pani said an inquiry has been ordered into the incident.

“The additional district magistrate and the sub-divisional police officer have been entrusted with the responsibility of investigating into it. I will take necessary actions after getting the report,” Pani said.