Post News Network
Ghasipura, July 21: In a big relief to the people of Belabahali under Anandapur block in Keonjhar district, police forces deployed in the village for the last two weeks in the wake of a violent clash between villagers and police were finally withdrawn Tuesday. The police had sealed all major entry points to the village over the period and arrested several villagers in connection with the clash.
The villagers had a pitched battle with the police and administrative officials July 7 in protest against a proposed bridge across river Kusei. The project was a part of the expansion of National Highway-215.
Nearly 20 persons including some police and administrative officials were injured in the incident. Police had resorted to lathicharge and fired teargas shells at the mob to disperse it. Later, 117 people including over 60 women were arrested in a phased manner and lodged in Keonjhar jail.
During the last 14 days, police had been checking the identity cards, driving license and other documents of people of Belabahali at various places to arrest them.
The villagers resented such crackdown on them and demanded the pullout of police forces. The villagers alleged they could not venture out of their village for fear of being arrested. Belabahali Surakhya Manch, an outfit spearheading the agitation against the project, had urged the administration to look into their demands and sort out the problem.
Meanwhile, a group of social activists working on human rights Tuesday visited the village and held discussions with the villagers.
Some villagers had drawn the attention of State Human Rights Commission towards the problems they have been facing in their houses after many women were lodged in jail. Alok Mohanty and Tapan Padhi of the rights outfit, Mission Justice, Bhubaneswar, talked to the president of the Manch Batakrushna Nath and its secretary Pramod Prusty.
They also met Satrughan Sahu, a villager, who is afflicted with a kidney ailment. The activists took a patient hearing of Sahu’s plight after his only son Baidhar was lodged in jail.
Sahu is completely bed-ridden. They also met the minor son and daughter of a couple, Gurubari and Ganesh Sahu, currently lodged in the jail.
The activists said human rights had been violated during the police crackdown on villagers. They assured the villagers of making efforts to raise the issue in the coming Assembly session.
