Angul: Derjang dam site in Angul block, which is known as one of the top tourist spots in the district, has recently earned notoriety due to several reasons.
If considered from tourists’ safety point of view, the site has become unsafe.
The reservoir area has been declared a restricted zone. Though tourists are not allowed there, many are reportedly going into the prohibited area without any hindrance. They are clicking selfies as well. Youths are seen diving into the reservoir water and there is none to stop them at the entry point.
An incident occurred August 8 wherein a youth, identified as Avinash Tripathy (25) of Gorakhpur area in Uttar Pradesh and was staying in Angul town, drowned in the reservoir after he lost balance while clicking selfies with friends.
The tourist spot is no longer considered to be safe as it has become a haven for anti-social elements. Once, the spot was well illuminated, but now utility electric poles stand without bulbs.
Taking advantage of these, drug addicts, alcoholics and criminals have made the site as their meeting place. It is alleged that criminals chose this spot to prepare blueprints for their activities. Peddlers carry out their trade from here. All such activities often end up in group clashes.
Yet, police have been allegedly looking the other way. “There is hardly any police patrolling in the area. As a result, all sorts of criminal activities, including snatching, loot and even rape are increasing there,” observed some locals.
It is worth mentioning here that a gun fight took place between miscreants and the police in 2018. Acting on a tip-off that miscreants had congregated at the spot to prepare a blueprint to loot a petrol pump, the police conducted raid, leading to an exchange of fire. Notorious criminal Bilu Khan suffered injuries in the encounter.
In a recent case, miscreants robbed two youths of their mobile phones and cash, August 6. Two days later, August 8, some youths in inebriated state were responsible for a series of accidents near the spot. Locals overpowered the youths and later handed them over to police.
With such incidents taking place regularly, local residents have urged the administration to take steps to make the spot tourist-friendly. They demanded tight security and complete ban on tourists’ entry into the reservoir site. Or else, local residents and tourists would stop visiting the spot, they said.
A senior police officer refuted allegations that there is no patrolling at the site. “Police patrolling is there at the dam site. Police rush to the spot whenever they receive any complaint from the area. But, it is not our lookout to see who are going into the restricted area and what they are doing there,” the officer said on the condition of anonymity.
Notably, Avinash, a youth from Uttar Pradesh who worked as project manager at an under-construction site in Angul town, and his three friends visited the reservoir site, August 8. There they took bath and while taking selfies, Avinash’ feet slipped and he went missing in the reservoir. On receiving information about the incident, Fire personnel reached the spot and rescued him. He was rushed to Angul DHH, but the doctors there declared him “brought dead”.
PNN
