Jamshedpur: Over a hundred villagers of Chatobera near Haldipokhar in Potka block armed with traditional weapons gheraoed Kovali police station to protest lodging of FIR against seven villagers on charges of extortion and abduction on Tuesday. They alleged that the police had implicated the seven on fabricated charges and that the accused persons were innocent.
Sources said the controversy started when the villagers protested the leasing of Dato Bera Pahar to a Ranchi resident by the mining department. The protests soon followed the lodging of FIR by Kovali police against seven villagers identified as Surendra Tudu, Pandu Sardar, Sonu Sardar, Asu Gope, Netri Sardar, Narendra Gope and Vikas Gope, all local residents, sources said.
The protestors were led by Kumar Chandra Mardi, Nikhil Mandal, Jairam Hansda and Gram Pradhan Virendra Tudu. They threatened to wage a massive protest further in case the case was not withdrawn by the police.
“The Gram Sabha of Chatobera village is opposed to leasing of the said hill. Despite this, the mining department has issued lease to Satyendra Kumar,” said Kumar Chandra Mardi.
Mardi said that police had accused the villagers of committing assault, abduction and extortion some six months back. The villagers alleged that police registered the case without carrying out any investigation.