Villagers block road in protest against abduction of local activist in Godda

Dumka: Thousands of villagers belonging to the tribal communities blocked the Boarijore-Lalmatiya road in Godda district on Monday in protest against the alleged kidnapping of a local anti-displacement activist identified as Ravilal Hembrom (30).
The blockade was launched soon after the news of his alleged abduction surfaced at 7 on Monday morning. Hembrom, a resident of Bherenda village, is known for mobilising local residents against the proposed expansion of Lalmatiya-based Rajmahal coal project of the Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL).
Mahagama SDPO Shiv Shankar Tiwari said, “Attempts are on to find Ravilal and a probe is on to ascertain the facts about the incident.”
Sources said unidentified persons had earlier abducted Shivnandan Murmu of Bherenda village along with one Ramesh Kisku on Sunday night but later released them.
Talking to reporters, Shivnandan Murmu said the kidnappers were five in number and travelling in an SUV with a number plate bearing Lok Janshakti Party on it. “They first took me and Kisku at gunpoint to Boarijore and headed to Barhet (Sahebganj) around 11pm. The kidnappers then handed Kisku to another group of armed men in Barhet and took me back to Boarijore. They asked me to call Ravilal Hembrom near a petrol pump after which they picked him up.”
Shivnandan claimed that the abductors were against Ravilal’s move to protest against the ECL's proposed expansion plan. He also maintained that one out of five was called Sonot Marandi of Babupur village.
Due to the protest and road blockade, hundreds of trucks and passenger vehicles remained stranded in the area since morning.