Balasore, December 5 (odisha.in)At least three policemen, including sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Jaleswar in Balasore district sustained injuries when irate farmers pelted stone inside Bhogarai block office during distribution of seeds on Tuesday.
SDPO Sudarshan Barik who was admitted in the district headquarters hospital has been discharged on Wednesday. Other two police personnel including ASI Ghanashyam Mallick were undergoing treatment at Jaleswar hospital.
“The situation is under control. The condition of the cops is normal and out of danger,” said Balasore SP Yashwant Kumar Jethwa.
Police sources said, sensing trouble one platoon police force was deployed at the block office as the block officials were to distribute paddy and ground-nut seeds on Tuesday.
“Tension prevailed when the block officials failed to meet the demands of the farmers who were gathered from several GPs of the block,” said Parshuram Sahu, officer-in-charge of Bhogarai police station.
Later the government officials, people’s representatives and police officials decided to distribute the seeds as per the stock and ensured the farmers to get at least one type of seed – either paddy or ground-nut.
“But demanding both the seeds the farmers started assaulting police and government officials. When they were chased the aggravated farmers pelted stone. The farmers also have looted 150 bags of seeds,” he said.
On Wednesday, ADM Sribatsa Jena and additional SP P K Das rushed to the spot and discussed the matter with the farmers. “I suggested them to share the available seeds. The farmers then were provided seeds and the process was smooth,” Jena said.
On the other hand, alleging irregularities in the distribution of paddy and groundnut seeds, block Congress president Dibyendu Panigrahi and local leader Harendra Das have alleged that the farmers were
aggrieved after the police restored to lathi-charge.
The SP however denied the allegation and clarified that there was no lathi-charge. “Rather the farmers were chased after they assaulted police and government officials,” Jethwa added.
Odisha.in