Pradeep Majhi, 18 others get bail

Umerkote: Former parliamentarian and Congress leader Pradeep Majhi and 18 others arrested connection with ransacking of a forest range office at Raighar a few days back was granted bail by Assistant Sessions Judge here today.

Court sources said the bail was granted on the production of a bailer and a personal bond of Rs 20,000.

On June 25, Congress activists demanding right over forest land under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), gatecrashed into the forest range office at Raighar in Nabarangpur district and ransacked it.

In a memorandum to Governor sent through the local tahasildar, the party stated that 78% of the 18,500 people who reside in the block live on forest lands. The memorandum alleged most of the poor people were yet to get their title of the forest land.

Following their arrest, six of them, including the MP, had launched a hunger strike in the jail. Upon deterioration of health, Majhi was hospitalised two days back.

Doctors attending the Congress leader said his condition is stable.