Srikakulam: Tension prevailed at the Mandal Revenue Office, Palasa, about 40 km from here, on Saturday as workers of the CPI and ryhtu sangham entered the office premises and ransacked it.

On a complaint by the Mandal Revenue Officer, State unit secretary of the CPI K. Narayana and six other senior leaders of the party were arrested. They were charged with "trespass and threatening a government servant."

The issue at stake was Kambirigam lands. The dispute between landlords of Kambirigam and tenants had been pending for over two decades and the CPI had been espousing the cause of tenants. More than 330 acres of land was involved in the dispute.

Trouble started when CPI activists and some tenants entered the lands and started ploughing.

Panic situation

The police entered the scene and objected to it asserting that prohibitory orders under Section 144 issued by the MRO were in force.

The activists, led by the CPI secretary, then rushed to the MRO office and tried to enter it.

There was some jostling and the party workers gate-crashed and ransacked it. Even bullocks entered the office premises, causing further confusion and panic. Meanwhile, personnel of the CRPF arrived and brought the situation under control.

Asserting that the tenants had every right to occupy the lands, Mr. Narayamna alleged that the police were responsible for the situation.

His party would fight till justice was done to tenants. The police said that the arrested leaders were being produced in court.

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