Ghasipura: At least 10 persons including women were critically injured in a group clash during an anti-liquor rally at Baunsagarh panchayat under Anandapur police limits in Keonjhar district Monday.
Police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The injured were admitted to Anandapur sub-divisional hospital. Among the injured were Sahadev Nayak, Narendra Nayak, Bimala Nayak and Hemalata Nayak, leaders of the protest rally.
According to sources, on the eve of International Women’s Day, more than 500 women of various villages held a meeting demanding total prohibition in the panchayat. The women decided to take out peace protest rallies in the villages to press for their demand.
A rally was taken out by women Monday. Meanwhile, some miscreants and liquor traders attacked the women and pelted stones at them.
The women retaliated and detained Hrusikesh Patra (a forest guard), Sagar Patra, Sangram Patra, Banani Patra (an Anganwadi worker) in a house for selling liquor illegally in the area.
Later, hundreds of women gheraoed the local police station demanding immediate arrest of illegal liquor traders. They warned of intensified agitation if their demand was not met. PNN