Ranchi, Oct 20 (PTI) Former Jharkhand minister Yogendra Saw was gheraoed by villagers for about three hours on Thursday in Ramgarh district over a land dispute, police said.
The incident took place at Melani village in Patratu block, about 45-km from capital Ranchi, when the former minister was passing through the village in his four-wheeler, police said. The villagers put up a road blockade and stopped his vehicle. The villagers’ protest was related to a land dispute, police said.
Saw, the father of Barkagaon Congress legislator Amba Prasad was rescued after police’s intervention.
Patratu Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Birendra Choudhary told PTI, “Around 50-100 villagers, mostly women, had gheraoed him around 5.30 am on Thursday morning. As soon as we received the information, we reached the spot and rescued him immediately after persuading the villagers.” Chaudhary said the protest seemed to be related to a land dispute. “We are investigating the issue,” he said.
The villagers said they have 2.42 acre of land near Patratu Dam. On direction of the former minister, a boundary wall is being laid on the land, the villagers alleged.
Saw told PTI, “I went to meet my old workers Naresh Mahto and Michael Tigga on Wednesday night. After having tea, when I moved on, I saw villagers mostly women put up a road blockade. The entire incident took place due to a misunderstanding.” He said that there was a land dispute in the village. “Some villagers had come to me with complaint on the issue. On October 18, I urged the circle officer to sort out the issue. The villagers might have misunderstood it. I have nothing to do with the land,” he said.
When his MLA daughter was contacted to know if they are going to take any action against the villagers, she said, “We will not file any complaint regarding the issue. Such incident happens with political leaders. Villagers have right to lodge their protest. The villagers want my father to stay away from the dispute.” PTI SAN RG
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