Home States Odisha

Police in Odisha's Malkangiri face attack over ganja raid

A team of over 30 police personnel from Mathili and Malkangiri police led by Malkangiri SDPO Suvendu Patra and Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak reached the two villages.

Published: 15th May 2022 08:46 AM  |   Last Updated: 15th May 2022 08:46 AM   |  A+A A-

Villagers with bows and arrows during the attack on cops

Villagers with bows and arrows during the attack on cops. (Photo| EPS)

By Express News Service

MALKANGIRI/KORAPUT: A crackdown by Malkangiri Police on ganja smuggling came under serious attack from local villagers leaving six security personnel injured in Matikhal under Machhkund police limits in Koraput district on Friday.

A constable sustained serious injuries and is undergoing treatment at Malkangiri district headquarters hospital.

Acting on a tip-off that villagers were planning to transport huge quantities of ganja in the forest adjoining Madkapadar and Baddural villages under Mathili police limits, a team of over 30 police personnel from Mathili and Malkangiri police led by Malkangiri SDPO Suvendu Patra and Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak reached the two villages at around 7 pm on Friday. 

Sensing trouble, Madkapadar villagers started running away while police chased them till Matikhal village (bordering Malkangiri-Koraput district). Police found ganja bags stacked on the verandahs of many houses in the village. When the police including women personnel tried knocking at the doors, none of the villagers responded, said Mathili IIC Surya Prakash Nayak to The New Indian Express.

However, in no time, the residents of Matikhal and nearby villages ganged up to cordon the police team and started attacking them with traditional bow and arrows. "They also snatched our mobile phones, detained our vehicles and drove us out of the village," Nayak explained.

At least six police personnel suffered injuries and the condition of constable Pradeep Kumar Nayak is serious as he sustained head injuries. He is undergoing treatment in Malkangiri district headquarters hospital. "He was rescued with the help of Machhkund police while bleeding profusely. A policeman detained by the villagers was also rescued," added Nayak.

However, the villagers alleged that they were terrorised by police in the night, an allegation the cops refuted and said everything was done as per procedure. "Action will be taken against all those found guilty," the police officer said.

Opposing Malkangiri police action, Matikhal villagers gheraoed Machhkund police station on Saturday.

Now we are on Telegram too. Follow us for updates
TAGS
Malkangiri Police Ganja raid Odisha Police
India Matters

Comments

Disclaimer : We respect your thoughts and views! But we need to be judicious while moderating your comments. All the comments will be moderated by the newindianexpress.com editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks. Try to avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines.

The views expressed in comments published on newindianexpress.com are those of the comment writers alone. They do not represent the views or opinions of newindianexpress.com or its staff, nor do they represent the views or opinions of The New Indian Express Group, or any entity of, or affiliated with, The New Indian Express Group. newindianexpress.com reserves the right to take any or all comments down at any time.