Centenarian teacher from Kantira village under Sukinda Police limits of Jajpur, Nanda Kishore Prusty, who was recently conferred with the Padma Shri award, was allegedly threatened over a land dispute on Sunday. Prusty's son has also been thrashed over the disagreement.
As per reports, the son of 103-year-old Prusty (fondly called Nanda Sir) was stopped by a group of miscreants mid way while he was out to fetch medicines for his father. The miscreants then allegedly thrashed him and threatened to do the same with his father (Nanda Sir) if he does not mend ways.
The victim was rushed to the nearby hospital for treatment.
Speaking about the incident, Prusty’s grandson, Khageswar said, “The case over a disputed land was dismissed by the Court, so I constructed a house over it. However, the other party which is claiming ownership of the said land attacked my father and threatened my grandfather yesterday.”
“I have registered an FIR in this connection,” he added.
The Police have launched a probe following registration of the FIR and launched an operation to nab the accused. However, they still remain at large.
IIC of Sukinda Police station, Shiva Charan Behera that police could not trace the assailants at their house as they have already fled the area.
"Two mobile phones have been recovered from their houses and are being examined. A manhunt has been launched and they will be nabbed soon,” said the IIC.
It is pertinent to mention here that as many as six persons from Odisha were conferred with the Padma awards this year. Nanda Kishore Prusty popularly known as Nanda Master was honoured with the Padma Shri by the President of India for his over seven decade-long contribution in the field of education, and social service.
At 103, Prusty still imparts free-of cost teaching to primary students in his area at his 'Chatashali'.