SAMBALPUR: Residents of Saharatikra village within Attabira police limits on Wednesday caught hold of eight alleged paddy thieves and thrashed them black and blue before handing them over to the police.
Even as paddy procurement for the ongoing kharif season is picking up in Bargarh district, farmers of several villages are busy harvesting their produce. However, due to a lack of storage facilities at the marketyard, the farmers are forced to keep their harvested crops at their fields or home with temporary arrangements. Moreover, due to the winter season, the villagers often fail to look after their produce at night.
Recently, several complaints of theft of paddy bags were received from Goudatikra and Saharatikra villages of Attabira. After frequent such incidents, the villagers decided to remain vigilant.
On Tuesday night, the villagers planned to catch hold of the miscreants and kept an eye on multiple areas where paddy was stored. Subsequently, a group of miscreants reached Saharatikra in a mini truck and as they were about to load the paddy bags from a farmland, the villagers surrounded the accused and started thrashing them.
The villagers also tied their hands with rope and questioned about their whereabouts before handing them over to police early on Wednesday morning.
Police detained the eight miscreants and seized the mini truck from the village.
Police informed the accused include four juveniles and all of them belong to Jujumura in Sambalpur. Investigation is underway.