Satish Aditya
Motihari : Block Development Officer (BDO) of Harsidhi Block in East Champaran District Sunil Kumar and three police personnel were injured on April 15, 2020, when angry villagers including women attacked them with stones and blunt objects at a mahadalit village Jagapakad under Harsidhi police station. The SUV of BDO was also vandalised by the mob. All the injured persons were admitted to
Areraj Referral Hospital and the BDO has lodged an FIR with Harsidhi police station in connection with the incident.
BDO Sunil Kumar, in his FIR, said he along with some health workers had gone to Bhaiyatola of Jagapakad village to spread
awareness about AES disease. He was suggesting the men and women of the village not to allow their children to walk in scorching heat to protect them from the AES. He also asked them to give them meal twice and not allow them to sleep without taking meal.
But the villagers alleged that out of five fair price shop dealers in the area, four dealers had not distributed ration of March till date.They demanded immediate action against them. One Ram Awatar said the BDO is also holding charge of Marketing Officer of the block but did not take action against these such dealers despite repeated requests.
BDO Sunil Kumar pacified the villagers and informed the SDM, Areraj, Dhirendra Kumar Mishra, who reached the spot with three bodyguards. But, the villagers turned violent and attacked the officers and bodyguards. The pelted them with stones and
bricks in which the BDO and policemen sustained injuries. The villagers were demanding action against PDS dealers and the BDO.
DSP, Areraj, Jyoti Prakash, said that those involved in violence would be arrested at the earliest. Harsidhi MLA Rajendra Ram alleged that dalit women, who were demanding action against PDS dealers, were beaten up by police.