Lagatar24 Desk
Godda, Oct.4: Furious over the alleged kidnapping of a local social activist, residents of different villages under Boarijore block area of Godda district blocked the Boarijore-Lalmatia road on Monday.
The villagers enforced the road blockade soon after the news of the alleged kidnapping of Ravilal Hembrom (30) of Bherenda village spread at around 7 AM. Ravilal is said to be actively involved in mobilising natives of adjoining locality against the proposed expansion of Lalmatia based Rajmahal coal project of the Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL).
Last night the accused people had kidnapped Shivnandan Murmu of the same village along with Ramesh Kisku who were later released.
Talking to the media, Shivnandan Murmu said that the kidnappers were five in number and were traveling in a Scorpio with the front nameplate bearing the name of Lok Janshakti Party. They forced him and Kisku at gunpoint to accompany them in Boarijore and headed for Barhet (Sahebganj).
“The kidnappers then handed over Ramesh Kisku to another group of armed people at Barhet and took me back to Boarijore where they prevailed upon me to call Ravilal Hembrom to come near the petrol pump,” Shivnandan said, adding that Ravilal was similarly overpowered and forced to board their vehicle before kicking him out and escaped.
According to Shivnandan, the kidnappers were against Ravilal Hembrom for mobilising the villagers against the ECL’s proposed expansion plan and displacement in terms of parting with their lands. He also claimed to have identified one out of the five kidnappers namely Sonot Marandi of Babupur village.
Hundreds of trucks and other passenger vehicles have been stranded along both sides of the road owing to the road blockade.
Senior police officers including Shiv Shankar Tiwari, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Mahagama rushed to the spot of road blockade to assuage the villagers for its removal by assuring them to rescue the kidnapped social activist, but in vain.
“Attempts are being made to recover Ravilal Hembrom who was having a dispute with few people of the locality for leading the villagers,” the SDPO said adding that investigation was on to ascertain the facts about the incident.
