SAMBALPUR: Farmers’ disenchantment over paddy procurement remained a persistent marker of 2025 across western Odisha districts. It began with protests in Bargarh over the lifting of paddy from mandis, as agrarian distress continued to be one of the most pressing concerns throughout the year. Although procurement improved after administrative intervention, farmer organisations maintained that the problems ran much deeper.
As the year progressed, protests resurfaced over delayed tokens, deductions from MSP, unpaid crop insurance claims, and fertiliser shortages. These issues were not confined to a single district. Farmer bodies in Sambalpur and Bargarh organised demonstrations, road blockades, and bandhs at various points during the year.
The alleged suicide of a farmer in Jujumura block in January underlined the seriousness of the distress being voiced by paddy growers. The most recent agitation unfolded on December 19 in Sambalpur, where farmers launched an indefinite protest by blocking highways at five locations across the district. The protest, which continued for nearly eight hours, was eventually disrupted after police arrested the farmers.
Political developments during the year were marked by episodic controversies and electoral churn. Following the death of Nuapada MLA Rajendra Dholakia in September, the re-election to the Assembly constituency became one of the most high-profile polls in the region. The election, held in November, recorded a high voter turnout, with the BJP securing a decisive victory and altering the constituency’s political landscape.
In March, Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra stirred controversy by terming the integration of the Kosal region with Odisha a “historic blunder” at a public programme, reviving long-standing debates. Earlier in the year, BJD leader Bishal Das, son of former minister Naba Kishore Das, was detained by Chhattisgarh police along with several panchayat institution members amid political tensions surrounding a no-confidence motion in a panchayat samiti in January.
In January, a daylight dacoity at a Mannapuram gold loan office in Sambalpur city raised serious security concerns. The death of two BJP leaders in Sambalpur after their car was hit by a fly-ash-laden truck brought enforcement slackness to the fore.
The region also witnessed social prejudices rearing their ugly heads. In Sambalpur district, a family faced social boycott over an inter-caste marriage that had taken place years earlier. In Bargarh, a man was denied cremation by family members due to his inter-caste marriage. Conversely, in Nuapada, families of men accused of consuming leopard meat were ostracised by their own community, reflecting collective resistance against inhuman practices.
Financial frauds emerged as another recurring issue. In February, hundreds of investors approached the police alleging that an investment firm operating from Sambalpur had siphoned off more than `1,000 crore from over 6,000 people. Many had invested their life savings in the hope of monthly returns. While the arrest of Santosh Kumar Acharya brought some relief, anger lingered over delayed action and the absence of early warning mechanisms.
Environmental and wildlife concerns were also prominent. Sambalpur district recorded multiple elephant deaths due to electrocution, despite earlier court directions and official assurances. In Bargarh, pollution in Jeera river highlighted shortcomings in municipal waste management.
The year ended on a sombre note with the brutal killing of 20-year-old migrant labourer Suhel Rana from Murshidabad on December 24, bringing renewed focus on the vulnerability of migrant workers and the dangers of suspicion-driven violence.
While the issue continues to simmer, the West Bengal Police has initiated an investigation by sending a team to Sambalpur.