BHUBANESWAR: At least 25 persons sustained injuries after a violent clash broke out between residents of two tribal villages over cultivation inside Bengbhata reserve forest in Kalahandi’s Lanjigarh block on Sunday. All the injured persons belong to Sindhibhata and Thuangpadar villages within Bijepur police limits. Sources said residents of both the villages have been trying to encroach land in the reserve forest for cultivation since last year.
Bijepur IIC Prasanta Kolharas said a dispute erupted between villagers of Sindhibhata and Thuangpadar over the issue last year following which a peace committee was formed by police. In presence of elected panchayati raj representatives and forest officials, the warring villagers were told to refrain from encroaching the forest land. The Forest department was also requested to take appropriate steps in the matter as police apprehended law and order situation in the area.
However on Sunday, residents of both the villages once again trespassed into the forest and were preparing land for cultivation. First a verbal confrontation took place between the two groups and subsequently, it turned into a violent clash. Of the 25 injured persons, five are reportedly serious. While 17 injured villagers were admitted to Lanjigarh community health centre (CHC), the rest were taken to the government hospital in Bhawanipatna. On Monday, those admitted to Lanjigarh CHC were shifted to the Bhawanipatna hospital.
The IIC said police have registered a case and efforts are on to pacify the warring villagers. Though tension continues to prevail in the area, the situation is under control. Sources said despite being aware of the encroachment attempts of villagers, no tangible step was taken by the Forest department to protect Bengbhata reserve forest. In absence of intervention by forest officials, villagers are regularly trespassing into the reserve forests of Kalahandi North and South divisions for cultivation.