Officials of Jharkhand Administrative Services (JAS) will to go on indefinite strike from March 12 demanding arresting of Ichagarh MlA Sadhu Charan Mahto for the alleged assault on District land Acquisition Officer Dipu Kumar on February 22. The decision was taken during a meeting called by Jharkhand Administrative Services Association (JHASA) at Officers Flat on Booty Road in Ranchi on Thursday.
“A working committee meeting was held on March 1 during which it was decided to protest till the legislator gets arrested under which all the official of JAS will put black batch from March 5 to 7. After March 7, we will work to rule till March 11 under which the officials will come and leave their offices timely without doing extra work before and after the officer hours,” said JHASA President Daniel Kandulna. If the MlA still does not get arrested all the officials of JAS will go on indefinite strike from March 12, he added.
Kandulna said despite arrest warrant issued against MlA; the State Police was unable to arrest him. He, however, said that Saraikela SP had ensured them that the MlA will be arrested soon as raids were being conducted to trace him out.
Meanwhile, a seven-member team of JHASA reached Seraikela on Friday to look into the matter and met district unit of the Association. Kandulna said that they will also demand transfer of Deputy Commi-ssioner Chhabi Ranjan and SP Chandan Kumar Sinha if the MlA does not get arrested.
Kumar was allegedly assaulted by Mahto while distributing compensation to villagers for a road widening project at Raghunathpur under Nimdih block. While Kumar claimed that the compensation rate was determined after taking several factors under consideration, especially the quality of land, the MlA demanded that all villagers be paid equal compensation against their lands. When the land officer opposed, the MlA allegedly assaulted him and tore off his clothes. Kumar, following the incident, had lodged an FIR with Nimdih thana against Mahto and 150 other villagers.
Eight member delegation of Saraikela District BJP unit also met State Party President laxman Giluwa and handed over a memorandum to him demanding arresting of the officer as a case had been lodged against him for passing unparliamentarily remarks for the MlA.