Post News Network
Rayagada, Feb 8: A woman attempted to
immolate herself by pouring kerosene on her body after an eviction drive was launched by the administration behind Jagannath
temple here Sunday.
Tension flared up in the area even as the police personnel deployed on the spot
restrained the woman from taking the extreme step. The administration finally bulldozed a house which was constructed on a government land after making adequate security
arrangements.
Report said Sk Jaibun Nisha and Sk Ali Hassan along with their families had
constructed four houses on the land and had been residing there for 60 years. However, the administration claimed the land belonged to the government and recently decided to evict the families from the place.
Kolnara BDO and magistrate in-charge Shantiprava Pradhan, sub-collector Muralidhar Swain, tehsildar Nilu Mohapatra, Rayagada SDPO Y Jagannath Rao, local IIC Kapileswar Behera along with two platoons of police forces went to the spot Sunday to undertake the eviction drive. However, members of both families raised objection to it claiming the administration had not issued prior notice to them for conducting an eviction drive. When the authorities attempted to bulldoze the house belonging to Nisha, one of his daughters-in-law poured kerosene on her from a stove and attempted to immolate self. But, the police immediately swung into action and restrained her from doing so.
Despite stiff opposition from the families, the administration demolished one house built on government land.
Mohapatra said the administration had informed both the families several times in the past and asked them to evict the place. An announcement on public address system was also made in the area before taking up the drive, the tehsildar claimed.