Khati Corner

Mistaken identity

It was like a film script which could have gone horribly wrong. Last week, a CBI team stopped a vehicle in Jayadev Vihar to uncover a bribery deal. But trouble started with locals mistaking the CBI officers as kidnappers. Locals dialled Nayapalli police and it was only upon their arrival that the CBI officers could breathe easy. Police convinced the locals that it was a CBI operation, and the high drama in public ended smoothly with the arrest of a high-ranking official of the Bridge and Roof Co. (India) Limited on charges of accepting Rs 10 lakh bribe from a businessman to help him win contracts.

Smelly encounter

The temporary transit station (TTS) near Sainik School has been a bone of contention in the area. As garbage piles up, its smell raises a stink that reaches far and wide. Recently, housing and urban development minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra was assailed by the foul smell when he visited the TTS to supervise garbage management and recycling efforts. The smell at the TTS left him gasping for air. Sources said the visit had taken such a toll on the minister that he reportedly couldn't eat or drink for the rest of the day. "Imagine the plight of locals who have to deal with it 24x7," quipped a resident. Hopefully, this will lead to a fresher, cleaner city.

Sporting spirit

It was a typical working day for the CMs of Assam and Odisha. They had both gone to the Kalinga Stadium complex to inaugurate an academy. Once there, it brought out a different side of their persona. While inaugurating the badminton high performance centre, Odisha CM Mohan Majhi and his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also the president of Badminton Association of India, tried their hands at badminton. They took to the court with enthusiasm and amid cheers from those present at the ringside, the two provided a glimpse that they are good at shuttle diplomacy as well.