CUTTACK: One person died and more than 10 sustained injuries in a group clash between people of Panchagochhia and Sagar villages under Narasinghpur police limits following dispute over sharing of water from an irrigation project on Sunday.
There was a long standing dispute between the two villages over sharing of water from Chamundapalli irrigation project. On July 23, the embankment of the reservoir was dug up to ensure water supply for irrigating the farm land of Panchagochhia on the direction of the local Tehsildar.
Protesting the Tehsildar’s move, villagers of Sagar staged a dharna in front of tehsil office on the same day. However, the issue was amicably settled following a meeting of the villagers in the presence of the Tehsildar on July 25.
On Sunday, trouble erupted after some people of Sagar village tried to irrigate their land from the reservoir by blocking the breach in the embankment which was opposed by Panchagochhia villagers.
Soon situation took a violent turn as two groups of the villages started attacking each other with stones, sticks and sharp weapons including swords, bow and arrow.
On being informed, police rushed to the spot brought the situation under control. Two platoons of police forces have been deployed in two villages to avoid any untoward incident.
The deceased has been identified as Sridhar Samal (44) of Sagar village. The injured were admitted to Narasinghpur hospital and later, two of them were shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital as their condition deteriorated.