BERHAMPUR: Town police on Tuesday arrested a local strongman reported to have links with BJP leaders on the charges of forcibly settling family disputes in Berhampur.
The accused was identified as 45-year-old Ratikanta Senapati alias Julee. Police said that claiming to be close to influential BJP leaders, Senapati has forcibly evicted many people in the area.
Last week, one A Kiran Kumar lodged a complaint with Town police stating that there was a dispute between his brother and family members over their landed property. Senapati along with 10-15 associates came to his house and offered him Rs 5 lakh to vacate the property. The accused also threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to comply, alleged Kumar.
Similarly, Senapati and his accomplices were allegedly interfering in a long-standing dispute between E Dwarikanath of Prem Nagar and his tenant P Raja Pravakar Rao over a civil dispute pertaining to a shop.
On May 17, Dwarikanath with help of Senapati and his accomplices forcibly took away home appliances, including ACs and furniture from the disputed shop. When Rao resisted, the accused threatened him and demanded `30 lakh from him, said police.
Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said basing on the complaints of Rao and Kumar, two separate cases were registered against Senapati and he was arrested.