Bolangir: Ten people were detained Thursday in connection with the group clash that left a man dead while several others were injured. The incident had happened Wednesday evening after two groups of villagers clashed over open defecation at Aainlasari village under Puintala police limits in the district.
Later, members of a group ransacked the houses of another group in the village. Police detained 10 persons and questioned them in this connection. The deceased was identified as Tihilu Sandha, 45, of the village. The injured have been admitted for treatment at Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital in Bolangir.
Tension was palpable in the area as a section of police force was deployed in the village to avoid further deterioration of the situation, Sadar SDPO Srimanta Barik said. The SDPO and Puintala IIC B Rudria talked with the villagers and formed a peace committee to restore peace in the village.
The incident is the fallout of a ban on open defecation imposed by a self-help group in the village, Puintala IIC said. The SHG asked the villagers to abide by the decision.
However, members of a particular hamlet continued to relieve themselves in open in defiance of the order. This was noticed by other villagers who asked them to abide by the order. However, they did not listen. This sparked tension and hostility among the villagers.
The situation came to a flash point when some villagers of that hamlet were returning home from work when the other group of villagers attacked them with lathis, Wednesday evening. In the clash, Tihilu Sandha sustained critical injuries and died.
PNN