Jajpur: The police arrested 10 people Sunday for their alleged involvement in the attempt to mow down a tehsildar-cum-executive magistrate with a tractor while he was conducting a raid against illegal soil mining in Odisha’s Jajpur district.
The incident took place in the Korei area of the district Saturday, and the injured officer has been identified as Vyasanagar tehsildar Prashant Kumar Panda.
Police have arrested 10 accused and also seized seven tractors and two JCB machines used in the illegal operation, said an officer.
The accused have been arrested under relevant Sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and provisions of the Odisha Minor Mineral Concession (Amendment) Rules, he said.
“We have arrested ten persons, including eight drivers, for their alleged involvement in the murderous attack on Vyasa Nagar tehsildar on duty after conducting raids at different locations of their hideout. Besides, we have seized seven tractors and two JCB machines used in the illegal mining of minor minerals,” said Jajpur SP Yash Pratap Shrimal.
The arrested persons were forwarded to the local court Sunday and later remanded to judicial custody after their bail applications were rejected, the police said.
Acting on a tip-off about unauthorised soil extraction, a team led by Panda conducted a raid in the Korei area Saturday, during which the miscreants allegedly rammed a tractor into him, the police said.
Panda sustained serious injuries and was first admitted to Korei Community Health Centre (CHC) before being shifted to a hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment, he said.
