Post News Network
Keonjhar, July 7: At least 20 people including a block development officer (BDO), two policemen and three private security guards were seriously injured Tuesday when villagers near Anandapur had a pitched battle with security and administrative officials protesting construction of a bridge over Kusei river in the area.
Over 100 protestors were arrested while Anandapur BDO Sunil Kumar Kerketa, who was designated as a magistrate, was seriously wounded in stone pelting. As his condition worsened, he was shifted to a hospital in Cuttack. Ghasipura ASI Saiprabha Rout and Anandapur ASI Mamata Patnaik were grievously injured. Rout has been shifted to Cuttack.
Two police officials are in coma while the uniform of SP was torn off during the clash, sources said.
Angry over the efforts of the administration to construct a bridge at a disputed site on river Kusei on NH-215, a large number of residents of Belabahali village confronted the police force already deployed in the area, Anandapur sub-collector Maheswar Swain said.
When the police personnel tried to disperse the protesters, the villagers fought a pitched battle with cops throwing stones and bricks and using sticks, he said. At least 20 persons including seven police personnel were injured in the clash, Swain said.
Agitated villagers also torched a camp office of the construction company and some vehicles and equipment, the sub-collector said. Police had to resort to lathicharge and teargas to control the unruly mob, sources added.
The agitators had detained Anandapur BDO Sunil Kumar Kerketa and Ghasipura BDO Suranjan Sahu in local panchayat office. Sahu, however, managed to escape, but Kerketa got stuck for about five hours and was beaten black and blue.
Senior police officials rushed to the area where more than 450 police personnel were deployed to prevent a further flare-up and restore normalcy.
More than 100 protesters have been taken into custody, source said. The situation in the area was tense but under control and the injured have been sent to hospitals for treatment, Swain said.
SP Kabita Jalan said prohibitory order under section 144 were clamped in the area as the situation turned tense and violent after attack on police and administrative officials.
Collector N Thirumala Nayak said efforts were made to construct the bridge, but people took law into their hands without thinking of the benefits of the project. He expressed grief over the people injured in the clash.
Notably, the villagers have been opposing the bridge over the river at the proposed site as part of the expansion of National Highway 215. Demonstrations and dharnas have also been held by the residents over last seven months demanding that the location of the bridge be shifted.
Talks were also held between locals and the administration on the issue but no concrete outcome had emerged yet.
