NGO ‘threatens and dupes' villagers of lakhs in Odisha’s Koraput

Hundreds of locals of several villages under Nandapur block in Odisha’s Koraput district were allegedly conned by an NGO with the promise to provide ‘house number plates’.

The NGO has been accused of collecting money from every household by threatening the villagers. Till now, the NGO reportedly has collected lakhs of rupees from a couple of villages in the block. 

According to reports, a member of the NGO visited the villages and threatened the villagers that they would be deprived of all the Odisha government benefits if they did not put up the number plate on their houses. The villagers were told that their Aadhaar card, ration card, BPL card, health card and other government documents would become invalid if they did not pay Rs 30 each. 

The locals alleged that the accused man even showed a letter signed by the local sarpanch and the BDO to threaten and make them believe him. Assuming him a government agent, the villagers reportedly paid Rs 30 each for the number plate. 

The accused is currently absconding after the matter was brought to the notice of the BDO. 

When contacted, Nandapur BDO Sujit Mishra said, “I had directed the NGO to put up number plates only for people who are willing and had sent a letter in this regard accordingly. But locals complained about the collection and subsequently, it was stopped.”

Meanwhile, no police complaint has been lodged in this connection as of yet.