Balasore: A Junior Mining Officer was critically injured after he was brutally assaulted by a local sand mafia head and his henchmen while inspecting a sand mining site on Budhabalanga riverbed near Kathasangada under Remuna tehsil in Balasore district Tuesday, police said.
The victim officer, identified as Tapas Kumar Behera, sustained critical injuries to his head and hand in the attack. Police reached the spot and took him to Balasore district headquarters hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment.
An officer from Remuna police station said the incident occurred at Kathasangada when Behera, along with an official and the driver of his vehicle, went to inspect the sand mining site on the Budhabalanga riverbed.
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When Behera began taking photographs of the area and vehicles transporting sand, a local sand mafia head and his henchmen launched an attack on him, the officer said.
Behera ran for cover. However, the miscreants chased him down and beat him up brutally, and hit a bottle on his head after pulling him out of his official vehicle, the officer added.
The Remuna police registered a case and launched an investigation after an official of the Mining Department lodged a complaint in this regard.
The officer said they are examining CCTV footage to identify all those involved in the attack. Meanwhile, District Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas, Deputy Collector Prathamesh Arabind Raje Shirke, and Mining Officer Santoshi Prava Sethy rushed to the hospital after receiving the information.
Balasore MP Pratap Chandra Sarangi also visited the hospital and inquired about Behera’s health with the doctors.
He said strict action will be initiated against the perpetrators. When contacted, Collector Suryawanshi Mayur Vikas said that an attack on a government officer on duty will not be tolerated. He said he has spoken to police officials in this regard.
He assured that action against the culprits will follow soon. Nevertheless, the incident has sent shockwaves across the state with back-to-back assaults on two government officials by mafia carrying out the looting of minor minerals in a little over a week’s time.
Earlier June 2, a Revenue department officer was allegedly assaulted by some miscreants in Mayurbhanj district when he was on his way to conduct a raid against illegal transportation of minerals.
Bhima Kanta Majhi, the Additional Tehsildar of Kaptipada, was injured and his vehicle was damaged in the incident. Police have arrested eight persons, and a hunt is underway for the remaining miscreants involved in the attack.
PNN
