Bhubaneswar, May 17: A 30-year-old woman, who claims to be the wife of BJD legislator from Talcher Braja Kishore Pradhan, ransacked his residence at Unit-IV smashing flowerpots and windowpanes.

On May 9, the woman staged a dharna in front of the legislator's Talcher residence, demanding that the MLA accept her as his wife.

Eyewitnesses said the woman scaled the entrance gate of the MLA's residence as it was locked and enquired about him. Then she started smashing the flowerpots, windowpanes and chairs in the house after getting no trace of him. Later, one of the supporters of Pradhan dialled 100 and Kharavela Nagar police reached the spot and brought the situation under control.

"He does not have the courage to face me and answer my questions. I am his wife and he must give me social recognition, or else I will drag him to court. I will not spare him," said the woman. She had claimed that Pradhan married her at the Puri temple on April 5, 2015, with consent from both of their families.

Pradhan, on the other hand, refused to comment on the matter. "The video clip of the woman ransacking my quarter is there and the law will take its own course," said Pradhan, who was elected first time from Talcher as an Independent candidate in 2009 and joined the BJD. He was elected for the second time on the party ticket in the last general elections in 2014.

Later, the police released the woman after taking an undertaking from her. The police said the MLA was yet to lodge a complaint in this regard.

The woman had in February lodged a formal complaint against the legislator at Mahila police station. But, the police did not register a case, saying that it was a non-cognisable one. The police had advised the woman to take the help of a court of law. The woman, who is a librarian in an autonomous college in Cuttack district, alleged that the 42-year-old legislator had threatened her with dire consequences when she demanded social recognition of their marriage.