Bhubaneswar: At least two persons were injured after police resorted to lathicharge during a protest by panchayati raj institution members of Tangi block at the Khurda district collectorate.
The protesters also ransacked properties of the district collector's office.
The agitation was carried out by samiti members, sarpanches and other elected officials of Tangi block under the banner of Tangi Janajagaran Mahamenta, which took out a massive rally to reach the collector office and later barged on the premises and ransacked flowerpots kept inside.
They alleged that despite repeated complaints, various projects in the block were not being executed because of the tussle between the BJP and the BJD. The agitators said that as they were answerable to the people of the block, they had brought such irregularities to the notice of the concerned block officials and district administration, but no step had been initiated to resolve their grievances.
"People in the grassroots levels are being harassed in the war between both the political parties. Though we had raised the issue in the block several times, nothing was done so far. The people must not be the victim of war between two political parties," said Bipin Jaysingh, samiti member of the Nirakarpur panchayat.
The protesters also scuffled with the police, following which the police resorted to lathicharge. "The protesters were supposed to present a memorandum to the collector but later used force to enter the office. They also ransacked the properties of the office, so we were forced to drive them away," said sub-divisional police officer Jugal Kishore Das.
The injured were immediately rushed to district headquarters hospital, from where they were discharged after preliminary treatment.
On the other hand, Khurda collector Nirmal Chandra Mishra said the protesters should not have created the ruckus. "We had earlier told them to resolve the matter on the proper forum. If they have any grievances, they should have taken up the matter in a peaceful way," said Mishra.
