Mayurbhanj: Tension ran high in Kalabadia panchayat area under Bangiriposi police limits of Mayurbhanj district on Thursday after some workers of a private construction company allegedly tried to abduct tribal children of nearby Akhadasahi village.
One among the workers, identified as Jai Bhagwan, was arrested in connection with the incident. Based on the complaint of Akhadasahi villagers, a case has also been registered by the police into the matter.
As per reports, some workers of a Haryana-based private construction company were engaged in building a flyover on NH-18 near Akhadasahi village under Kalabadia panchayat of the district, over a past few days and residing in a camp.
Yesterday, when the four tribal children were playing near the camp, some workers allegedly tried to take them away forcefully. However, the kids managed to escape from the spot and narrated the incident to their parents, the villagers claimed.
"They were trying to take away our kids since the last two days," alleged Asha Singh, mother of one of the kids.
"The four children told us that they were trying to catch them since the last two days. They were planning to sacrifice them at the construction site," said another villager.
Infuriated over the incident, the parents of the kids along with some villagers rushed to the camp and threatened to stop the flyover work.
They caught hold of Jai Bhagwan, who allegedly tried to abduct the children. Later, Baripada SDPO Jadunath Jena and Bangiriposi Police Station IIC Dayanidhi Das along with a police team rushed to the spot after getting information and pacified the villagers.
The worker was later handed over to the police by the villagers, added reports.
Later in the day, Jai Bhagwan was produced in Baripada SDJM Court and remanded to judicial custody.
(Edited By Ramakant Biswas)