A family in Sundargarh was ostracised from his locality by the PESA Act supporters for not supporting their stand.
The family has written to the Director General of Police and also lodged an FIR in Rajgangpur police station. The police after registering a case are investigating the matter.
According to sources, Manuel Topno of Kukuda village under Rajgangpur police station in his FIR told police that the PESA Act supporters of his village accused him of supporting the OCL India Limited’s land acquisition in December 2017 and called him to the PESA Gram Sabha (village meeting) to put his views. Manuel had gone to attend the meet and had put his views.
The PESA supporters of his village again had brought same allegation against him in the month of January and had boycotted Manual and his family from their society. The PESA supporters had also stopped talking to him and his family.
On October 8, when Manuel was cleaning a wheat storage area on a Government land, about 50 PESA supporters of his village attacked Manuel. Manuel was later rescued by his brothers.
The Rajgangpur police after registered a case against 50 attackers under various sections of IPC.
Significantly, while locals at different places of Sundargarh district have been active in campaigning for implementation of PESA Act and opposing various works over last few years, another group of locals under the banner of Khutkati Vikash Manch has started opposing the pathar gadi (stone erection) activities in the locality by the PESA activists.