Berhampur: As many as 22 villagers were injured, five of them critically, following a group clash over a land dispute between two villages under Mohana police station in Gajapati district Monday. While 12 of the injured are from Bijipur village, the remaining 10 are from Bahadapada. The critically injured five were first admitted to Mohana community health centre (CHC). After preliminary treatment, they were shifted to Berhampur-based MKCG Medical College & Hospital here after their condition worsened. The critically injured have been identified as Jibina Bir and Antari Lima from Bijipur, and Srimati Gouda, Tarini Dalai and Kandhuni Mahakud of Bahadapada village.
If reports are to be believed, residents of the two villages have a longstanding dispute over a piece of pastureland in Bahadapada village under Chandragiri mouza. Earlier, the natives of both the villages had sought the intervention of police and district administration in this regard, but to no avail. The dispute prevailed despite repeated police complaints. Things took an ugly turn Monday when a few residents of Bahadapada had gone to clean the said land in their village. Learning about this, Bijipur villagers rushed to the spot and opposed their counterparts, thereby resulting in a group clash.
Soon, the clash escalated wherein villagers from both sides used axes, machetes and wooden planks to attack each other. Mohana police reached the spot after being informed and brought the situation under control.
