Tension gripped Singhasal village in Deogarh district after police recovered the body of 32-year-old worker Indra Munda from beneath sand at Balighat three days after he went missing.
Villagers staged a road blockade on State Highway-10 demanding compensation for the family, closure of the sand quarry, and strict action against those responsible.
Indra Munda of Meghaparsanpur village had gone to work at Balighat on June 19 but did not return home. His wife, Reena Munda, lodged a missing complaint at the Barkot police station on June 20. Police registered a case and began an investigation, but villagers accused them of inaction. On June 21, police used sniffer dogs but failed to trace him, sparking anger among locals.
Villagers blocked the highway from 4 PM to 8 PM on Sunday, protesting police negligence. Later that night, police recovered Indra’s body buried under sand, leading to the temporary withdrawal of the blockade. However, villagers resumed protests on Monday morning, refusing to lift the body until their demands were met.
Deogarh MLA Romanch Ranjan Biswal and former Zilla Parishad member Kishore Pradhan joined the protest. District officials, including Sub-Collector Parikshit Sahu and DSP Pabitra Kishan, held long discussions with agitators. After assurances of action, the blockade ended at 3 PM, restoring traffic after five hours.
Police registered a murder case and detained three workers from the quarry for interrogation. The body was sent for a post-mortem. Villagers demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits, removal of illegal sand deposits, and compensation for the bereaved family.
