BERHAMPUR: A long-standing dispute over a patch of government land snowballed in Sanakhemundi block of Ganjam district with residents of two villages fighting a pitched battle on Thursday afternoon.
Following the violent clash between residents of Singipur and Ratnamanipur-Dengaosta villages over the roadside land, the district administration imposed prohibitory orders under section 163 of BNS in the area and deployed five platoons of armed police to prevent any further flare-up.
Sources said several shops had come up illegally on the disputed government land in Ratnamanipur Mouza of Singipur panchayat since the last many years. Two months ago, the administration removed the encroachment in presence of police. Subsequently, villagers of Ratnamanipur-Dengaosta started work to install a statue of Lord Hanuman and construct a park on the disputed plot by filling up an existing pond there. Villagers of Singipur, however, opposed the plan.
On the day, over 2,000 people from Singipur gheraoed the Sanakhemundi tehsil office in protest. They were later pacified by tehsildar Ramachandra Patnaik who assured to stop all construction work on the disputed land. But instead of returning to Singipur, the villagers reached the disputed land and demolished the under-construction walls there.
Soon, a large number of people from Ratnamanipur-Dengaosta village reached the spot and a pitched battle ensued. Residents of the two villages reportedly engaged in fisticuffs and pelted stones at each other. At least two persons were injured in the stone pelting. Subsequently, villagers of Singipur blocked the NH-326 near Ratnamanipur-Dengaosta village.
On receiving information, senior administrative officials including Ganjam additional SP Seema Swain and tehsildar Patnaik along with IICs of Pattapur, Shergada, Dharakote and Digapahandi police stations reached the protest site and held discussion with the agitators.
The blockade was withdrawn in the evening after Berhampur sub-collector Avinash Kumar reached the spot and assured the villagers of an amicable settlement of the land dispute. However, villagers of Singipur reached the disputed land again and demolished a mandap and temporary tents erected for installation of the statue in presence of police.
A police officer said the situation is under control. Till reports last came in, both the warring groups of villagers were yet to lodge any complaint with police.
