Jajpur: The sand mafia allegedly tried to mow down the Dasrathpur tehsildar near Pallisahi on the Baitarani riverbanks under Kasapa gram panchayat in Odisha’s Jajpur district on Tuesday.
The tehsildar had received reports that sand was being loaded illegally on a large number of tractors. Sethi went to the spot along with other officials to raid the sand mafia and stop the illegal activity.
On seeing them, many members of the mafia fled on their tractors. The officials, however, managed to seize one tractor, whose driver fled leaving the vehicle behind. Its owner, who was nearby, approached the tehsildar and asked to be let off, according to reports.
Sethi, however, asked him to drive the tractor to the police station. All of a sudden, the tehsildar realised that the owner was trying to crush him under the vehicle. Sethi jumped into the river to save himself. The owner fled the spot.
“I was alert that things could go wrong. I saved myself by jumping into the river. I have lodged a police complaint and hope that the accused will be arrested soon,” he said.
