Kendrapara: The Pattamundai tehsildar was allegedly thrashed Saturday afternoon by two farmers from Kanipal village of Bada Mohanpur panchayat under Pattamundai block in Kendrapara district inside his office premises, following an altercation.
The Revenue department official was identified as Dillip Kumar Sethi and the two farmers have been identified as Dolagobinda Sahu and Udayabhanu Sahu.
A police source said that the attacker duo from Kanipal village have been detained by the Pattamundai police following the incident.
According to the source, some farmers were upset over a brick kiln which has been operating in their locality. ‘Smoke regularly emitted by the kiln is causing air-pollution in the village and affecting their farming activities,’ quoting local farmers the senior policeman added.
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The farmers had submitted a written complaint in this regard before tehsildar Sethi a few days ago. As the government official did not pay any heed to their complaint, subsequently the farmers had staged an agitation demanding quick action against the brick kiln owner.
After getting an assurance from Sethi the agitation was withdrawn. However, their demand was not met. Being excessively displeased over the apathetic attitude of local administration, the farmers met the tehsildar and asked him about the reason behind his inaction.
On the intervening day, both the sides entered into a heated exchange of words. Later, tension flared up inside the government office. Things took an ugly turn when the two farmers from a group including many others came to the front and took law into their own hands.
The two local farmers lost their cool and attacked tehsildar Sethi.
“We have ordered the brick kiln owner to immediately stop operating. Local police and fire services officials have been duly communicated about the prevalent situation. However, the farmers were extremely impatient to listen to anything that I replied,” the tehsildar said.
Following the incident, Sethi lodged an FIR against the attacker duo with Pattamundai police, who in turn, reached the spot immediately and detained both the accused. A detailed probe into the incident has been initiated and is still underway, the senior policeman stated.
Notably, the brick kiln has been illegally operating nearby farmlands of the Kanipal villagers. The kiln owner set it alight in the wee hours of Saturday that triggered strong resentment among the farmers.
The two accused are said to be activists of Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS), who allegedly beat and manhandled the tehsildar in his office. Dolagobinda is the Kendrapara district unit coordinator of the NNKS and Udayabhanu is a member in the farmer outfit.
PNN
