Nabarangpur, Jun 28: Tensions flared in the protected forest zone between Nakatisimada and Kusumpur under Raighar range of Nabarangpur district when two forest officials were brutally assaulted by villagers during a confrontation over illegal maize cultivation.

The incident occurred when a team led by Kundabai Forester Harihar Brahma and Forest Guard Deepak Kumar Pradhan reached the site to stop unauthorized farming on forest land. The villagers, reportedly from Kusumpur, Amabeda, and Jailguda, have been cultivating maize in the area for nearly three decades. However, the Forest Department had recently initiated a reforestation drive, planning to plant over 75,000 saplings across 85 hectares, with nurseries already set up in Nakatisimada.

Upon receiving a tip-off about ongoing farming activities, the forest team attempted to intervene, leading to a heated argument that escalated into physical violence. Both Brahma and Pradhan sustained injuries and were admitted to Raighar Medical Centre. A formal complaint has been lodged at Raighar Police Station.

In response, over a hundred villagers visited the police station, alleging that the altercation began when a forest staff member forcefully grabbed a farmer by the collar. A counter-complaint has also been filed by the villagers.

The Forest Department maintains that the land in question is protected and earmarked for afforestation. The incident underscores the long-standing tension between conservation efforts and local agricultural practices in forest-adjacent communities.

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