Balangir: A Revenue Inspector (RI) was allegedly thrashed by sand mafia for opposing illegal lifting of sand in the Salebhata area in Odisha’s Balangir district on Thursday.
Sources said Agalpur Tehsildar Saroja Behera got a tip-off about illegal sand lifting and asked the RI of Babufasad area Sushant Patel to raid Murasundha ghat along Anga river.
The RI reached the site with an enforcement team and found that some people were mining sand illegally from the river bank. Patel started making a video of the illegal activity.
Alarmed at this, the sand mafia allegedly attacked Patel, snatched his mobile phone, and set it on fire. According to an FIR lodged at the Salbheta police station, the sand mafia beat up Patel and one of them reportedly bit his hand before fleeing the spot.
Patel was rushed to nearby Dunguripali hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.
Based on a complaint filed by Agalpur Tehsildar, police have launched an investigation into the incident.
As per reports, the incident took place in the early hours on Thursday when a tractor was carrying sand lifted from the river bank. When the enforcement team reached the spot, the tractor-driver tried to escape with the vehicle. Patel tried to film the development with his mobile phone, but the mafia snatched his phone by biting his hand and threw it on fire.
