Nabarangpur: More than 20 people including a forest guard suffered injuries after a clash erupted between village groups over a dispute pertaining to forest land in Kosagumuda area of the district.
The brawl occured near Ghadadhanua village during a public meeting of locals from several nearby villages and forest office staff.
As per sources, plantation under an afforestation programme was carried out in around 27 acres of reserve forest land near the village. But local residents of various villages like Kadabhata, Janiguda, Dangariguda, Kakadaguda and Dhadadhanua have been at loggerheads with each other over the use of wood, timber and other products from the afforested land.
Due to frequent disagreement over the issue, the local forest authorities had called for a meeting comprising people from all nearby villages on Thursday. But a quarrel erupted at the spot.
The altercation became severe and resulted in a clash between the groups. People fought, pelted stones at each other leaving a forest guard and over 20 others bruised.
Two separate FIRs have been filed at Kosagumuda police station in connection with the incident.