Bhubaneswar: Three local youths were injured critically after being brutally attacked by the Moram (gravel) mafia in Balianta, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, for protesting against the illegal excavation of gravel from government land. The incident occurred late Monday night, around 2 am, in Jitikal Suanlo village under Balianta tehsil.
The injured youths are Niranjan Patra, Saumendra Jena, and Sarat Jena.
The gravel mafia, armed with swords and iron rods, attacked the youths when they confronted them about the illicit activity. The youths were loading soil into a truck using two JCB machines. The situation escalated, and about 20 people from the soil mafia gang and their accomplices joined in, beating the youths with iron rods and hacking them with swords.
The three youths were severely injured. They were initially admitted to the Capital Hospital and later shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar.
On being informed, the local villagers rushed to the scene and rescued the youths, who were bleeding profusely. The villagers also captured four of the attackers and handed them over to the police. Two motorcycles belonging to the attackers were also detained.
