Odisha sarpanch arrested for misusing power: Police

A sarpanch has been arrested in Odisha for allegedly misusing powers of a Collector, a police officer said.

The sarpanch and her husband have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the demolition of several under construction houses allotted to tribal families under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin (PMAYG) in Balangir district, he said.

Hemakanti Munda, the sarpanch of Salebhata panchayat in Agalapada block, was arrested on Saturday for ordering the demolition by misusing powers of a Collector which have been delegated to sarpanches by the state government for COVID-19 management, the police officer said.

Her husband Mohan Munda was arrested for his role in the demolition drive while efforts are on to nab eight others, he said.

As the tribal families did not own land, the construction of houses, under the PMAYG, was in progress on a government plot at Salebhata village after it was allotted to them by the panchayat and block administration, the police officer said.

On August 11, the houses under construction were bulldozed on the order of the sarpanch, the officer said.

Following a complaint lodged by the affected families at Loisingha police station, cases were registered against 10 persons, including the sarpanch and her husband, he said.

The sarpanch said, "I along with my husband and some members of the village committee demolished the houses as I have been granted powers of a Collector,"