Ranchi, Feb 23 (IANS): Opposition parties in Jharkhand on Friday demanded the arrest of a BJP legislator on the charge of thrashing a land acquisition official over compensation.

Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Sadhu Charan Mahto had on Thursday allegedly thrashed Saraikela Land Acquisition Officer Deepu Kumar at Raghunathpur village in Neemdih block, where compensation was being distributed for land acquisition for the National Highway-32 project.

The legislator was said to have entered into an altercation with the officer and later manhandled him and even broke the windowpanes of his vehicle.

The district administration was instructed by the state government to speed up distribution of compensation while the MLA was accused of opposing it. He had earlier asked the officer not to distribute the compensation.

"The BJP government in Jharkhand, like what happened in Delhi, should immediately arrest the legislator. We condemn the BJP legislator's action in creating hurdles in official work and beating the official," Congress leader Kishore Sahdeo told IANS.

The main opposition party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), also condemned the incident and demanded action against the legislator.

Jharkhand Administrative Service Association President Daniyal Kundulana said: "We condemn the incident and will chalk out our strategy to protest at our meeting."