Women Bash Up Odisha Rail Project Official Over Delay In Compensation To Land Losers

Nayagarh: Land Acquisition Officer (LAO) for Khurda Road-Balangir railway line project was injured after being assaulted by a group of women in Odisha’s Nayagarh district over an alleged delay in payment of compensation to land losers.

According to sources, the women waylaid LAO Sanjay Pratihari while he was proceeding to the office at Nayagarh town, entered into a verbal duel and thrashed him using brooms, chappals and shoes.

The official, who sustained injuries in the attack, was rushed to the district headquarters hospital here for treatment.

Soon after the incident, a team of police personnel rushed to the spot to prevent any further flare-ups. They also questioned some people there.

The women reportdely took the step in protest against the alleged delay in payment of compensation to the people whose land had been acquired for the railway project. They blamed Pratihari for the delay.

Earlier, some women had staged a protest near Pratihari’s office over the issue.

The 289-km Khurda Road-Balangir new railway line, when complete, will connect western Odisha with coastal parts of the state.

The railway has so far commissioned 90.43 km line from Khurdha Road and around 14.58 km from Balangir.