Mounesh Vishwakarma

Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal (EP)

Bantwal, Jan 17: There was friction between locals and railway department workers on Thursday, January 17, when the railway department demolished an unauthorised fish market that was functioning on the railway land at Farangipete and their workers started laying fence beside the highway. Locals who gathered asked the officials to suspend work till Bantwal rural police station SI and senior officials of the railways department arrived to the spot.

Railway workers were laying fence leaving 3 ft for people to walk. People opposed the move saying that 3 ft width was too less for people to move about and asked to lay the fence on the previous markings by the railways. A tense atmosphere prevailed for some time.

Railway department assistant divisional engineer Krathyananda arrived in the afternoon and asked for a letter from the panchayat that more width should be left on the side of the highway in the interest of people. As the dispute continued, A C Ravichandra and Bantwal ASI Saidul Adavath visited the spot, held discussions with railway department officials asking to acquire only the land belonging to railways and allow 13 feet foot path on the land belonging to the national highway. The work was resumed later.

Tight security was in place to prevent untoward incidents under the leadership of Bantwal circle inspector T D Nagaraj and Bantwal SI Prasanna.

Pudu panchayat president Ramlan Maripalla, former Congress zilla panchayat member Ummar Farook, gram panchayat vice president Harish Perimar, former taluk panchayat member Iqbal and others were present.