Joda: Lands of tribal residents have allegedly been grabbed by a company through fraudulent means in Birikela panchayat under Joda block of Keonjhar.
This has left tribal residents fuming as the administration is accused of not resolving the issue. According to reports, two complaints have been filed at Joda police station in this regard.
The complaints were filed by Bijay Munda and Shyam Munda of Bhagalpur.
In their complaints, they alleged that a company operating in Bileipada area has grabbed their land (750 decimal belonging to khata-62 and one acre and 450 decimal belonging to khata-35) in Bhagalpur area with their forged finger prints and signatures.
The two showed records that they had purchased the land in 2018. They pointed out that the land fraud was done when the land was demarcated and acquired by the company.
It was also alleged that land of some other tribals had been acquired that way in the area. Several others who have been duped in this way had apprised Union Tribal Affairs Minister Biswheswar Tudu about the issue.
The Minister had asked Champua sub-collector Pratap Pritimaya to redress the land fraud. The sub-collector had assured the tribals of looking into the issue, but no step has been taken till date, it was alleged.
Local tribals are up in arms over the issue and warned of agitation if the land fraud is not sorted out early.
PNN