RI assaulted during crop damage assessment; Revenue officials threaten cease-work

Puri: Odisha State Revenue Field Officers' Association today threatened to go on a cease-work stir demanding arrest of the prime accused who assaulted a Revenue Inspector (RI) in Kanas block during a crop damage assessment earlier today.

Speaking in this connection, the association's president Basant Mohanty said that if the accused is not apprehended within next 3 days then the association will launch a cease-work stir.

Earlier today, Bishnu Charan Mohapatra, the RI of Gadasanput while undertaking assessment of paddy crops damaged by the recent unseasonal rains at Haladiapada village under Kanas block of Puri district was manhandled by a local villager.

As per sources, irate over the RI's refusal to entertain his plea of more compensation for his damaged crops, a local identified as Tutu Parida manhandled the official.

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"Since at some places, paddy was in good standing condition, I said that his land accounted for 60 percent damage but the villager was hell bent on seeking a 90-percent-damage assessment from me. When I rejected his plea, he assaulted me," Mohapatra said.

The Tehsildar also demanded stringent action against the accused. "The culprit should be arrested immediately and strict legal action should be initiated against him," he said.