Post News Network
Rayagada, May 11: Kolnara tehsildar B B Lakra hogged a controversy Monday after a woman accused him of encouraging religious conversion among the poor and tribals of the block.
Niladri Nag made a written complaint in this regard to district collector Jagannath Mohanty.
Niladria alleged that she had approached the tehsildar and other officials at the tehsil office several times in past for getting a land patta. However, the authorities concerned had not issued a land patta . Rather, the tehsildar advised her to changer her religion, she alleged.
“Lakra told me that I would be able to get various types of benefits from the government schemes if I accepted Christianity. Otherwise, I would not get anything,” she stated.
While requesting the collector to grant her a land patta, she urged him to take action against the tehsildar.
After receiving her complaint, the district collector directed sub-collector Muralidhar Swain to conduct an investigation into the matter. The collector gave assurance that appropriate action would be initiated against the tehsildar after the completion of a probe.
Meanwhile, Lakra refuted the allegation. “I have respect for all the religions. I have never asked anyone to undergo religious conversion. It is a conspiracy to defame me,” he added.