BARPADA: Revenue inspectors (RIs) of Udala, Khunta and Gopabandhu Nagar in Kaptipada sub-division of Mayurbhanj district staged a protest in front of their respective tehsil offices on Thursday protesting the attack on an RI by the stone mafia a few days back.
The agitating RIs alleged that police are yet to arrest the main accused involved in the attack on Khunta RI Dayanidhi Rout during a raid on an illegal stone quarry on the foothills of Similipal biosphere reserve. While prime accused Saroj Kumar Sahu is roaming freely, Khunta police is not taking action against him, they claimed.
President of Odisha State Revenue Field Officers’ Association, Mayurbhanj unit Pravat Kumar Mishra said police arrested three associates of Sahu but are yet to nab the prime accused who is operating the illegal stone quarry in the protected areas of Similipal. If no action is taken against Sahu, the association will intensify the protest, Mishra threatened.