Pilibhit, India: A proposal to merge Kurraiya village in Pilibhit district with a new gram panchayat has snowballed into a major issue. Those opposing the merger on Sunday (Nov. 30) attacked the local Gurdwara at Kurraiya village where a meeting was on to discuss the issue. Tension prevailed at Kurraiya village on Monday (Dec. 01).
According to a complaint lodged on Monday, the attackers came with swords and long sticks. They held the people and the local officials of the panchayati raj department present in the gurdwara hostage. A group of Sikh farmers who gave a written complaint to the ASP sought prompt action against the attackers.
The ASP has deputed a circle officer to investigate the matter.
Giving details of the incident, one of the persons present at the Gurdwara, Satnam Singh, stated that on the direction of the district panchayati raj officer, a meeting of Kurraiya residents had been called on Sunday at the local Gurdwara. He said meeting was aimed at building up a consensus of the residents over including village in the proposed gram panchayat of Sundarpur.
Consolidating different villages’ revenue governance under a specific gram panchayat is in progress in Pilibhit. This plan is applicable to such villages having total population over 1,000.
Satnam Singh said while the meeting was on, villagers from adjoining villages of Punnapur, Lukatihai and Jitauria, under Puranpur tehsil, attacked the Gurdwara to protest against the inclusion of Kurraiya village in Sundarpur gram punchayat.
He alleged that present gram pradhan Mratyunjay, former pradhan Maiku Lal and their supporters led the attack. The mob pelted stones at the gursdwara and damaged it.
Additional SP SK Singh states that he had deputed the CO, Bisalpur, Suveg Singh Siddhu, to probe the matter.