Jajpur: The Jajpur administration on Tuesday carried out an eviction drive at the farmhouse of former BJD MLA Pranab Balabantaray at Panturi village under Dharmasala tehsil, targeting structures allegedly built on encroached government land.
Bulldozers were deployed to demolish unauthorised constructions in the presence of officials from Dharmasala and Badachana tehsils and police personnel from Jenapur police station and a platoon force to maintain law and order. While boundary walls had come up over 12 acres and 88 decimals of land, around 1 acre of it was found to have been built by encroaching government land, sources said.
The action followed a violent political clash on December 14, 2025, where supporters of Balabantaray were allegedly attacked on the premises, resulting in multiple injuries. The incident heightened tensions in the area and drew attention to the property. The Dharmasala tehsil authorities then issued a 30-day notice to Balabantaray, acting on complaints regarding illegal encroachments, and sought proof of legal ownership and documents related to the property. Following which, Balabantaray moved the Orissa High Court, petitioning for the identification and demarcation of his claimed land — approximately 12 acres and 88 decimals — and seeking a stay on any eviction until the process was completed.
On the High Court’s direction, the tehsil authorities initiated a land measurement and survey at the site on February 17. The findings from this demarcation exercise confirmed the encroachments, paving the way for the eviction proceedings. “Approximately 1 acre and 10 decimals of land will be recovered as per official records,” said Dharmasala Additional Tehsildar Gagan Bihari Das.