HAWANIPATIA (ORISSA): The sarpanch (Mayor) of Dharam garh town in Kalahandi district was reportedly stripped naked by the police and taken from the court to the jail. He and 20 others had been arrested for opposing an anti-encroachment drive.

The sarpanch, 31-year-old Chanshyan Agarwal, claims the police removed all his clothes on orders from the executive magistrate. However the sub-divisional magistrate, P.K Jena, said the sarpanch had taken off his underwear and thrown it on the magistrate’s desk. The protestors were presented in court wearing only underclothes.

According to the court papers “The accused complained of ill treatment by the police. They also complained of being stripped of their clothes and not being provided with food while in custody.” They were remanded from June 23 and the nude parade occurred on June 25.

The sarpanch has alleged that he was stripped naked by the police in the courtroom and taken to jail in handcuffs through the busy bazar area. But in his denial, the SDM claimed that Agarwal “refused to be released on bail by furnishing a surety of Rs.40,000.” Contempt proceedings have been started against him, the SDM added. ‘

Jenna also alleged there were 13 criminal cases against Agarwal and that he had been convicted for assault in 1980. The SDM said traders led by the sarpanch were against him as he had come down hard on sales tax evaders.

Agarwal is the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the BJP’s youth wing, in Kalahandi, and on the managing committees of two schools. His release was ordered by the high court recently.

Agarwal said the anti-encroachment drive was aimed at poor roadside vendors who had set up temporary cabins on land leased from the government.

The panchayat wanted to build pucca cabins and rent them out to unemployed youths for a nominal sum. However, the tehsildar had ordered their removal. Those obstructing the drive were arrested. The BJP has called two bandh at Dharam garh and held a rally addressed by a state unit president’s

Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1992