Berhampur: Police Friday arrested 18 people for their alleged involvement in the clash between two neighbouring villages in Odisha’s Ganjam district over a land dispute.
The villagers of Singipur and Ratnamanipur, under the Patapur police station limits in Ganjam district, were engaged in a clash over ownership claim on a parcel of land Thursday. At least three people were injured in the clash, police said.
Following the clash, prohibitory order was imposed in the patch of land by the district administration Thursday, which will be extended for two months to maintain the law and order situation, said Sub Collector, Berhampur, Avinash Kumar.
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Ganjam SP Subhendu Patra said 10 people from Singipur and eight from Ratnamanipur were arrested. Police are also searching for some other persons who were involved in the clash, he said.
Four platoons of forces were deployed in the area to maintain law and order in the area, the SP said.
Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Aska, Santosh Jena, was monitoring the situation as tension continued to prevail in the area.
The clash between the villagers started when the villagers of Ratnamanipur started preparing for a yagna by constructing boundary walls in the disputed land measuring around one acre. They also wanted to use the land to make a park.
The villagers of Singipur, however, wanted to set up a bus stand in the patch of land along with a community toilet.
“Our first priority is to maintain peace in the area and prohibit the entry of anyone into the disputed site. After prevailing peace, we will plan for proper utilisation of the stretch of land in a proper manner, consulting with the villagers of both villages,” said the sub-collector.
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