Balangir: A sarpanch was arrested for allegedly vandalising the inauguration plaque of an Atal Bus Stand in the Saintala block of Odisha's Balangir district on Monday.

According to information, the plaque installed at the bus stand did not carry the names of the local block chairperson and the sarpanch. This triggered strong resentment among their supporters present at the site and led to a tense situation.

Sarpanch held for breaking the plaque

The Balangir police launched an investigation into the incident. During the probe, it was found that the sarpanch of Dunguripali gram panchayat under Saintala block, Gajapati Sahu, had allegedly removed the plaque from the wall and damaged it.

Based on the allegation of vandalising public property, the police arrested the sarpanch.

Political tension

Following the arrest, the BJD party planned to gherao the Saintala police station in protest. The situation has led to a sense of tension in Saintala, with police keeping a close watch to prevent any untoward incident.

Background of the dispute

The new bus stand was inaugurated virtually by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Though the plaque was unveiled by the local block chairperson, it did not mention her name or that of the sarpanch. This omission reportedly angered local supporters, eventually leading to the vandalism incident.