At least 48 persons, including 44 women, posing as PESA activists who had been arrested on Monday evening in connection with an attack on a Ward member during distribution of PDS rice at Jadakudar panchayat in Sundargarh district, were forwarded to court on Tuesday.
According to sources, some Government employees had gone to Jadakudar under lathikata block on Monday for distributing PDS rice.
A number of women posing themselves as PESA activists wanted to take control over the consignment claiming that under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 the administrative power was vested with them and they would distribute the rice.
But when Ward member George Kujur tried to stop them from intervening in rice distribution, the activists attacked Kujur. Meanwhile, other villagers, opposing the accused, reached the spot and a riot-like situation prevailed.
The Brahmani Tarang police reached the spot and took control of the situation. Kujur was admitted to the Rourkela Government Hospital.
On Monday, the police had arrested 48 persons including 44 women of the panchayat on the charges of rioting and attack on Kujur.
“We will arrest another 15 persons in this case very soon,” said Brahmani Tarang police station IIC SN Muduli.