Villagers Detain GRS For Allowing Sarpanch’s Kin To Sign Pension Papers In Odisha’s Balasore

Balasore: Tension prevailed in a village of Odisha’s Balasore district on Saturday when the villagers detained a Gram Rojgar Sevak (GRS) for reportedly allowing a sarpanch’s father-in-law signing on their pension papers.

of Gabaga panchayat at Bhograi in Odisha’s Balasore district detained a Gram Rojgar Sevak (GRS) for more than two hours on Saturday revolting against the proxy Sarpanch.

According to sources, the villagers of Gabaga under Bhograi block of the district had come to the panchayat office to collect their old age pensions. They found that sarpanch Subhasmita Dey’s father-in-law Laxmidhar Dey was signing on their pension books in place of the sarpanch who was nowhere in sight.

When the beneficiaries objected, some of the supporters of the sarpanch, who had accompanied Laxmidhar, confronted them. Tension escalated as the two groups were engaged in a tussle.

Enraged villagers detained GRS Anjushree Nayak, who was distributing the pension, and informed Kamarda police.

“Our Sarpanch never comes to the village even when we have appealed to her so many times. It is her father-in-law who always signs on the pension book of the beneficiaries,” one of the agitating villagers told the media.

Refuting the villagers’ allegations, Laxmidhar said it was a political conspiracy to malign the image of the sarpanch.

Police released the GRS from the villagers after around two hours of detention and let her go.