BERHAMPUR: Four persons were injured in attacks by sand mafia in Benigouhiri and Santoshpur villages of Rambha block on Saturday.
Sources said the villagers have been opposing the illegal lifting of sand from the banks of Rushikulya river near Bajrakote.
They had recently raised the matter with the district Collector and SP.
A few members of the sand mafia, armed with iron rods and wooden sticks, then attacked some college students in Benigouhiri. One of the students fell down while fleeing and was beaten up mercilessly.
The miscreants then came across a few residents of Santoshpur village and also attacked them. Three persons were injured in the assault.
All the injured were admitted to Khandadeuli hospital.
Later, one of them was shifted to MKCG Medical College and Hospital.
Enraged over the incident and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits, the villagers staged a road blockade on Humma-Purusotompur road as a result of which traffic on the stretch was disrupted for several hours.
Rambha police reached the spot and assured the protestors that the attackers will be arrested soon following which the blockade was lifted.