Bhubaneswar, Nov. 4: Around 35 persons, mostly women, were detained today for opposing an eviction drive on a plot of land, which belonged to the income tax department, at Gadakana on the outskirts of the capital. They were later released on bail.

The arrested persons, who belong to the tribal community, had been residing in the area for a long time. They said that a team, consisting of income tax and police officials, reached the spot around 9am and started the eviction drive. Around 100 tribal people under the banner of Adivasi Mahasava resisted the eviction drive.

The police soon swung into action and detained 35 people while others fled from the spot.

Police said that these people were trying to stop the government officials from performing their duties. “We detained these people and will take action against them,” said deputy commissioner of police Nitinjit Singh.

Even though Singh denied this charge, the leaders of the tribal community claimed that police resorted to lathicharge, in which two women protestors were injured.

“The police started using force. When our people protested, they resorted to lathicharge in which two women suffered minor injuries. They then arrested around 35 of us,” said state secretary of Adivasi Mahasabha, Saalo Marandi Marandi.

The Adivasi Mahasava members said that these people had been living on the plot for a long time.

However, the government has started evicting them without rehabilitation.

Sources said around 30 tribal families lived in and around the plot. “The protestors were demanding proper resettlement by the government. But the authorities evicted them forcibly,” said Munda.

According to officials, the income tax department had purchased five acres at Gadakan in 2004 to construct staff quarters for their employees. However, the central government had not taken the land into possession.

Sources in the income tax department said that because of opposition by the tribals in the area, the land could not be taken into possession.

“We took the land into possession today. Anticipating protests, we had sought police help and everything went smoothly for us,” said income tax commissioner S.S. Mishra.

As the protestors initially opposed the eviction drive, higher authorities in the police, including the police commissioner and deputy commissioner, rushed to the spot. After the protestors were arrested, the authorities carried on the construction work of the boundary wall around the plot of land.

Sources said that those arrested were later released on bail in the afternoon. However, those leading the protest said they would continue their fight against the government.