SAMBALPUR: Rajib Kisan hit the headlines in 2020 after he set ablaze Rengali tehsil office over delay in redressal of a land dispute and then went live on Facebook to justify his act. In 2022, he is the new sarpanch of Ghichamura gram panchayat (GP).
Kisan (31) was elected as sarpanch of his GP in the recently-concluded panchayat elections. Facing seven other candidates as contestants, he won the sarpanch post by a margin of just 19 votes. Interestingly, Kisan won the election by defeating former sarpanch Harishankar Behera, one of the persons named in his land dispute case. Behera was also arrested in this connection.
Sources said the incident helped Kisan create a support base in the village which was a major factor behind his poll victory. “Following the incident, many people of my village advised me to contest the election,” he said. On November 20, 2020, Kisan had set the tehsil office in Rengali on fire due to inordinate delay in redressal of his land dispute case which was filed in 2004. Rajib also went live on his Facebook page narrating his ordeal. He had accused the district administration for the delay in giving him justice even after 16 years.
Subsequently, Kisan was arrested and booked under sections 450 and 346 of the IPC besides 4 of Prevention to Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act. Currently, he is out on bail. “I realise that what I did was not right. But I was forced to take such an extreme step due to the negligence of the officials concerned,” said the new sarpanch.
“What I did was for my personal interest but the incident made villagers believe that I have the courage to fight for the right. I was not stressed during the election as a large number of villagers supported me and even campaigned for me. I think the villagers feel that I can fight corruption, malpractice and other wrongdoing which are a roadblock to the development of our panchayat. I will try my best to meet their expectations,” Kisan added.