Odisha Revenue Inspector attacked by sand mafia during raid in Balasore

A Revenue Inspector (RI) was allegedly attacked by sand mafia while conducting a raid against illegal sand extraction unit in Odisha's Balasore on Friday. 

The incident occurred under Baliapal tehsil when Srirampur RI Sarojini Tudu acted on information regarding unlawful sand lifting at Palpada on the Subarnarekha river.

According to reports, the RI reached the site to curb the illegal activity when she was allegedly assaulted during the raid. 

Officials said sand mafia groups frequently extract sand unlawfully from nearby areas, prompting authorities to intensify enforcement drives in recent days to check illegal transportation. 

It was further reported that whenever police or revenue officials conduct such raids, those involved often flee the spot and, in some instances, attack the officials leading the operation.

Complaint Filed And Investigation Underway

Following the incident, Baliapal Tehsildar Jyotsnarani Nayak visited the site and subsequently lodged a written complaint at Baliapal police station seeking action against those involved. Based on the complaint, police  initiated an investigation.

At the time of reporting, no arrests were made, though a few individuals were detained for questioning.

Villagers Flag Dam Damage Concerns

Local villagers reportedly informed officials about the illegal sand operations, alleging that a portion of an irrigation dam was cut open to gain access to the area for sand extraction. 

Also Read: Notice issued to suspected sand mafia after seizure of 200 trips of illegal sand in Jagatsinghpur

Such damage, they said, could lead to serious issues during monsoon and flood conditions. The government spends crores of rupees annually on repairing these dams.

Police said the investigation was ongoing at the time of reporting.