Youth Opposing Illegal Quarrying Hacked To Death In Odisha By Mining Mafia

The brutal killing took place around 2 am on Sunday night at Kadalibandha village under Odagaon police limits in Nayagarh district, where the victim, identified as Ajit Kumar Sahoo, was allegedly attacked with sharp weapons by a group of assailants.

According to villagers and local sources, Ajit had been actively opposing the illegal extraction and transportation of Mankada stones (laterite stones) in the region for a considerable period. Residents alleged that unauthorised quarrying operations had been continuing openly in the area despite repeated objections from locals.

Sources said Ajit had reportedly intercepted a vehicle transporting illegally quarried stones shortly before the attack and alerted the police control room (PCR) regarding the matter. However, villagers alleged that no immediate action was taken despite the information being conveyed to the police.

Locals further claimed that Ajit had developed enmity with persons allegedly linked to the illegal mining network because of his repeated resistance to the quarrying activities.

According to preliminary allegations, the attackers intercepted Ajit on the road late at night and assaulted him mercilessly with sharp-edged weapons. He sustained multiple grievous injuries across his body during the attack. Villagers alleged that his left hand was severed, underscoring the extreme brutality of the murder.

Ajit died on the spot due to excessive bleeding and severe injuries, sources said.

The killing sparked panic and anger across the locality, with hundreds of villagers taking to the streets on Monday morning demanding immediate arrests and a crackdown on the alleged mining mafia operating in the region.

Protesters staged a road blockade on the busy Nayagarh-Odagaon road, disrupting vehicular movement for several hours and leaving long queues of vehicles stranded on both sides. Demonstrators accused the administration of failing to curb illegal quarrying despite repeated complaints and warned that such incidents would continue unless stringent action was taken against organised mining syndicates.

Large numbers of police personnel were deployed in the area to prevent further escalation of tension and to persuade protesters to withdraw the blockade.

Police officials said an investigation has been launched into the murder and efforts are underway to identify and apprehend those involved in the attack.