At least 22 people including four policemen were injured when a clash erupted between two groups over a land related dispute at Raiyabari under Killa police station on Sunday.
Tension ran high following the incident. Security personnel in adequate numbers were deployed but the situation was tense till the last information poured in.
There was a land related dispute between the Janajati and the Muslim people residing at Raiyabari. Earlier, there were several attempts to solve the issue but the efforts went in vain.
On Sunday, the clash erupted between two groups from the two communities following the same land issue. This time, some of the people launched an attack on some houses with lethal weapons and sling. Around 10 people including women were injured in the attack incident.
While the other group launched a counter attack, women among eight persons received injuries.
In the meantime, as the staff of Killa police station led by OC rushed to the spot soon the angry mob targeted the policemen—they set the police vehicle on fire and left four policemen injured. They were soon shifted to Killa primary health centre.
After receiving information on the incident, Addl. SP of Gomati Sudip Paul and OC of Radhakishorepur police station along with a large contingent of police, TSR and CRPF personnel reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
The injured persons were taken to Gomati district hospital and some of them were referred to GBP hospital.
According to sources, a section was growing fruits and crops in a forest reserve land for many years. The issue started after another group claimed the land as patta land and tried to capture it a few years ago.
MLA Bagma Rampada Jamatia visited the injured people at Gomati district hospital in the evening. He said, a section was trying to create unrest through such an incident.
A Congress delegation led by Udaipur district president Soumitra Biswas also met the injured people in the hospital.
Biswas said, a decision of the then District Magistrate T.K. Debnath and forest officials was responsible for the incident. He said, the Muslim people were given rehabilitation in the land by the then District Magistrate (undivided district) as recommended by Roy Commission. But, now there was political pressure to evict the rehabilitated people from the land.
