Purnia: A police and administrative team deployed to remove alleged encroachments from an 11-acre plot in Purnia district was attacked by a crowd of around 300 villagers on Monday, officials said. The incident left several police personnel injured, including a constable who suffered an arrow wound to the head.
The clash occurred in Malaniya Kamat village under the Champanagar police station area during an eviction drive ordered following a land dispute.
The injured personnel were taken to the Srinagar Community Health Centre (CHC) for treatment. The constable who sustained the arrow injury was later referred to a hospital in Purnia for further medical care.
Encroachment Removal Operation
According to officials, the police team was accompanying administrative authorities to clear alleged encroachments from an 11-acre parcel of land.
The land is claimed by Sudhir Rishi, a resident of Vikrampatti Kavaiya in the Maranga police station area, who had approached the administration seeking removal of occupants from the property.
As officials arrived at the site, a large number of villagers gathered and objected to the eviction exercise. Witnesses said a verbal dispute broke out between the villagers and authorities before the situation escalated into violence.
Residents reportedly argued that they had been living on the land for many years and refused to vacate the area.
Police Personnel Injured in Attack
Officials said members of the crowd allegedly attacked the police team using arrows, bricks, stones and spears.
Shankar Paswan, a chowkidar accompanying the team, suffered an arrow injury to the head. More than six other police personnel sustained injuries during the stone-pelting and assault, according to police.
The sudden attack left little time for officers to respond before they moved to disperse the crowd and restore order.
Injured Chowkidar Describes Incident
Speaking after the incident, Paswan said the team had arrived with around 60 personnel to assist with the land clearance operation.
“We were clearing the land when villagers started pelting stones and firing arrows. When I turned around, an arrow struck my head,” he said.
Paswan alleged that more than 300 people were involved in the attack and claimed several police personnel suffered injuries during the confrontation.
Seven Taken Into Custody
Sadar-2 SDPO Dr. Gaurav Kumar said police had received reports of an assault on personnel accompanying a magistrate overseeing the eviction drive.
“We have detained seven people, including one woman, in connection with the incident,” he said.
The officer added that the disputed land has been cleared and secured following the operation.
Police said further investigation into the attack is underway.
