Mohana: At least 26 police personnel were injured after a mob attacked the team during a ganja seizure operation at Pidiari village under Mohana police limits in Gajapati district late Thursday night. The villagers attacked and pelted stones at the officers, vandalised five police vehicles, and held the police team hostage for nearly seven hours from 4am to 11am.
Acting on intelligence about illegal ganja cultivation in the village, a joint team from R Udayagiri, Mohana, and Adava police stations raided the area late Thursday night and seized a large quantity of ganja. The raid was part of an intensified crackdown against drug trafficking in the region, which has seen a surge in illegal ganja cultivation in recent years.
However, while returning, the police team was ambushed by enraged villagers who surrounded them and launched a violent attack. The villagers, armed with sticks and other weapons, began thrashing the police personnel. The officers were caught off guard as the crowd swelled, and in no time, they found themselves being overpowered. In addition to the physical attack, the mob targeted police vehicles, smashing windshields, breaking doors, and rendering five official vehicles completely unusable. Eyewitness accounts suggest that the attack was premeditated.
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Following hours of negotiations and intervention by local representatives and higher authorities, the situation was eventually defused, and the mob eventually released the officers. The 26 injured police personnel, including R Udayagiri SDPO, were rescued and taken to the Chandragiri Community Health Centre for treatment. The Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Gajapati later arrived at the scene and initiated an investigation into the incident. Sources indicate that legal action will be taken against those involved, and additional forces may be deployed in the area to prevent further incidents.
