Kashipur: Scores of irate tribals, armed with traditional weapons, besieged the Kashipur police station in the Rayagada district on Thursday, protesting the arrest of a fellow villager.

According to initial reports, the protesters including men and women gheraoed the Kashipur police station and set fire to tyres inside the premises, demanding the immediate release of Kartika Naik.

It is reported that the local population, predominantly from tribal communities, was demonstrating against the purported efforts of a contracting firm to take over the Sijamali mines in the district.

A protest was held on Wednesday, after which one of the demonstrators, Kartik Nayak of Bantej Village, was apprehended in the Sunger area.

 

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More than 600 persons from Bantej, Sarambai, Kantamal and Bundel villages gathered in protest and gheraoed Kashipur police station wielding traditional weapons. They protested by burning tyres and demanded Kartik’s immediate release.

The situation became tense, so the district authorities acted promptly, deploying police to restore order. High-ranking officials also arrived at the scene to engage with the protesters.

Kashipur police station IIC Suryaprakash Naik and Rayagada SDPO Rashmiranjan Senapati were at the scene, till the last report came in.