Jajpur: Miscreants allegedly attempted to mow down a tehsildar-cum-executive magistrate with a tractor while he was conducting a raid against illegal soil mining in Odisha’s Jajpur district Saturday, police said.
The incident took place near Minabazar Chhak within Korei police limits.
The injured officer has been identified as Vyasanagar tehsildar Prashant Kumar Panda.
Acting on a tip-off about unauthorised soil extraction, a team led by Panda conducted a raid, during which the miscreants allegedly rammed a tractor into him, a police officer said.
Panda sustained serious injuries and was first admitted to Korei Community Health Centre (CHC) before being shifted to a hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment, he said.
Police reached the spot and launched an investigation. Two tractors and a JCB machine used in the illegal mining activity were seized, officials said.
However, the accused are yet to be arrested.
Preliminary findings suggest a group was illegally extracting soil from a pond in Minabazar village when the raid was conducted, and the attack was allegedly an attempt to stop enforcement action.
Jajpur Collector Ambar Kumar Kar said the condition of the injured officer is stable.
Police have launched an investigation and seized two tractors and the JCB machine used in illegal activities, Kar said.
The collector said special teams have been constituted to check illegal mining of minor minerals in the district.
