Khaira: Exactly this day in the year 1942, three people attained martyrdom at Tudigadia — later known as ‘Rakta Tirtha’ — in this block of Balasore district when the British police opened fire at the public.
This place has been declared as a tourist spot. “But the tourist spot tag is not enough to attract tourists. For this, development of infrastructure is necessary. But nothing has been done here over the years,” a dissatisfied local resident rued.
They said the condition of Tudigadia-Khairadihi road, otherwise known as ‘Saheed Marg’, is deplorable. It has been left half constructed. The place is devoid of toilet facility. There is no rest house either for the tourists to take rest. A little shower inundates the local market.
“Despite all these shortcomings, every year September 28, ‘Saheed Smruti Diwas’ is observed here. This year is no different. Leaders and administrative officials have been scheduled come here. They will remember the past and make tall promises about the future quite like previous years. But the next morning, the place will again bear a deserted look like any other place. There is nothing to bind the tourists to this place, another local man said.
All through the year, except these few days, the place offers a picture of utter neglect meted out to this historical place. On any given day, the Saheed Peetha welcomes tourists with piles of garbage, overgrown weeds and bushes, locals alleged. Boozing in the open is a common occurrence here at nights.
Sources said, a Saheed Smruti Bhawan has been constructed at a cost of Rs 50 lakh, sanctioned by the state government two years ago. The building is scheduled to be inaugurated Saturday.
However, local people alleged rainwater seeps through the roof since the work was completed in haste. Similarly, local leader Kailash Behera wished to know why the place is yet to be illuminated. Echoing his feelings, senior citizen Kamalakant Panigrahi alleged the police administration is hardly doing anything to keep the place away from liquor addicts.
Saheed Jana Kalyan Parishad secretary Bishnu Mohan Satapathy and market committee secretary Basant Kumar Sahu observed if the leaders and officers show a small interest in developing the place, the place would change for better in a matter of days.
It was September 28, 1942 when local freedom fighters were in a secret meeting at a camp in Chhatara village, bordering Kaira Soro Sangrami to decide future course of action. Just at that time, British force reached to thwart the meeting. They reached the house of Baidyanath Rout, who was spearheading the movement and opened fire at village men who resisted the force.
Raghu Behera of Badhi village and Makar Lenka of Badapokhari village attained martyrdom. The British force took the two bodies to their camp at Tudigadia. In the afternoon, thousands of villagers gheraoed the camp. Irked at this, the force again opened fire. Kelu Sahu of Dalang village received a bullet in his chest and died there. This place has ever since been a source of inspiration for many over generations.
PNN