PARADIP: Abhyachandpur police on Friday initiated proceedings against 172 villagers of Dhinkia panchayat in Jagatsinghpur district, who have been staging a protest over fund misuse by ex-Sarpanch since February 21, under the provisions of Section 107 (security for keeping peace) of the CrPC.
Sources said irked over the alleged misappropriation of funds by former sarpanch and anti-Posco leader Sisir Mohapatra, people of Dhinkia launched an agitation in front of his house on February 21. The villagers alleged that Mohapatra didn't return cash worth `10 lakh to the villagers that they had allegedly collected from various sources for the development of the panchayats.
Police also initiated proceedings against Panchayat Samiti member Debendra Swain and Mohapatra of the opposition group under Section 107 CrPC for indulging in various acts to breach public peace.
Meanwhile, Erasama Tehsildar-cum-Executive Magistrate Anjali Tarai has asked the villagers to appear before the court on March 12 to execute a bond for a period of one year to maintain peace in the locality.
Protesting the police action, the villagers on Saturday conducted a meeting at the dharna spot to intensify their strike and criticised the local police for the action without investigating and visiting the spot. They demanded that Mohapatra should return the money.
Five held for murder
Bargarh: Police arrested five persons on Saturday for their alleged involvement in the murder of Shyamsundar Agrawal alias Guddu (38) of Khajurtikra in Bargarh town of Bijepur in the district. The body of Shyamsundar was found near Gandhi Chowk at Bijepur on Friday morning.
The accused were identified as Khireswar alias Palau Mahananda (29), Pintu alias Surendra Mahananda (23), Tarani Mahananda (30), Hemanta Deep (40) and Bulu alias Loknath Bhosagar (20), all hailing from Harijanpada village under Bijepur police limits in the district. According to reports, Shyamsundar had gone to Bijepur to attend a marriage ceremony with one Tulasi Bhesra on a motorcycle on Thursday night.