Police in Odisha's Malkangiri face attack over ganja raid

A team of over 30 police personnel from Mathili and Malkangiri police led by Malkangiri SDPO Suvendu Patra and Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak reached the two villages.
Villagers with bows and arrows during the attack on cops. (Photo| EPS)
Villagers with bows and arrows during the attack on cops. (Photo| EPS)

MALKANGIRI/KORAPUT: A crackdown by Malkangiri Police on ganja smuggling came under serious attack from local villagers leaving six security personnel injured in Matikhal under Machhkund police limits in Koraput district on Friday.

A constable sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at Malkangiri district headquarters hospital.

Acting on a tip-off that villagers were planning to transport huge quantities of ganja in the forest adjoining Madkapadar and Baddural villages under Mathili police limits, a team of over 30 police personnel from Mathili and Malkangiri police led by Malkangiri SDPO Suvendu Patra and Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak reached the two villages at around 7 pm on Friday.

Sensing trouble, Madkapadar villagers started running away while police chased them till Matikhal village (bordering Malkangiri-Koraput district). Police found ganja bags stacked on the verandahs of many houses in the village. When the police including women personnel tried knocking at the doors, none of the villagers responded, said Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak to The New Indian Express.

However, in no time, the residents of Matikhal and nearby villages ganged up to cordon the police team and started attacking them with traditional bow and arrows. "They also snatched our mobile phones, detained our vehicles and drove us out of the village," Nayak explained.

At least six police personnel suffered injuries and the condition of constable Pradeep Kumar Nayak is serious as he sustained head injuries. He is undergoing treatment in Malkangiri district headquarters hospital. "He was rescued with the help of Machhkund police while bleeding profusely. A policeman detained by the villagers was also rescued," added Nayak.

However, the villagers alleged that they were terrorised by police in the night, an allegation the cops refuted and said everything was done as per procedure. "Action will be taken against all those found guilty," the police officer said.

Opposing Malkangiri police action, Matikhal villagers gheraoed Machhkund police station on Saturday.

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The New Indian Express
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