Land grab allegations surface against BJD MP Manas Mangaraj

A storm is brewing in Khordha district’s Tangi tehsil, as villagers from Dikshitpada under Kuhudi Mouza have raised serious allegations against BJD Rajya Sabha MP Manas Mangaraj.

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At the heart of the issue is a decades-old public path leading to a large village pond — now allegedly blocked after Mangaraj ‘encroached’ on surrounding government land.

According to villagers, the pond once served over 4,000 people from Dikshitpada and Goudasahi. Around 60 years ago, a public path provided access. But today, that route has disappeared, reportedly buried behind fences and farmland taken over by the MP.

The only available bypass route leads through private agricultural land, which is inaccessible during the monsoon due to ongoing cultivation.

Locals allege that while Mangaraj legally bought 6 acres, he has illegally occupied 12 acres — double the extent — using political influence and fear to suppress objections. Several families claim they were forced to sell land at dirt-cheap prices after being threatened and harassed.

One piece of contested land now hosts a massive poultry farm registered under ‘Mangaraj Poultries Pvt. Ltd’ in 2012 — built, they say, on government land previously farmed by poor families for generations.

Residents also allege that during the previous BJD-led government, Mangaraj used police intimidation to evict elderly family members, including summoning them to the police station to force land transfers.

When approached, Mangaraj denied all allegations over the phone, insisting he has not encroached on any government land. However, he declined to appear on camera for comment.

Khordha’s Additional District Magistrate (ADM) has said that any complaint received will be thoroughly investigated, and action will be taken as per law.

“If any such petition comes to us, definitely we will take the matter to the knowledge of District Collector and take necessary steps in this regard as per the provisions of law,” Khordha ADM (General), Pratap Chandra Beura, said to OTV when contacted.

Reported By: Shakti Prasad Mohapatra, Balaram Lenka