BARIPADA: At least two youths were brutally assaulted in separate incidents for protesting illegal sand and stone mining in Mayurbhanj district in the last 24 hours.
Bikartan Poi (23) of Baunsapala village within Udala police limits suffered serious injuries after being attacked with a bamboo stick for protesting transportation of illegally-mined sand on a tractor on Monday.
While Poi was admitted to the hospital, police arrested the accused, Debashis Ghosh of Udala town on charges of attempt to murder.
Police said that the accused used to illegally transport sand from Sono river bed. He allegedly identified himself as a journalist and even used a Press sticker on his car.
Poi detained Ghosh’s sand-laden tractor demanding repair of the village road which had become damaged due to regular plying of vehicles involved in the smuggling. On being informed by the tractor driver, Ghosh reached the spot and assaulted the victim with a bamboo stick.
Poi suffered grievous injuries on his head, hand and other parts of the body. He was rushed to Udala sub-divisional hospital by villagers.
Similarly, one Mantu Naik (25) of Tamakiasola village within Kuliana police limits was attacked by the local stone mafia for protesting transportation of illegally-mined stone in trucks on Sunday night.
Sources said Naik had detained some stone-laden trucks plying on the village road.
The stone mafia, who were following the trucks, reached the spot and asked Naik to release the vehicles. When the youth threatened to inform the police, the mafia reportedly attacked him with branches of a nearby tree and fled with the trucks.
Villagers rescued Naik and rushed him to Pandit Raghunath Murmu medical college and hospital at Baripada. A complaint was also lodged in Kuliana police station on Monday.
Police said a case has been registered in this connection and investigation is underway.