Tahsildar freed from hostage

Jashpur Nagar, Chhattisgarh, Dec 30 (UNI) A Tahsildar and four other Revenue officials, who were held hostage by a mob of about 250 villagers at a village near here, were rescued late last night with police intervention.

The agitated villagers, supporting the local Christian Mission, were armed with traditional weapons like bow and arrow, Tangia and Pharsa. Two separate cases were registered against them, but no arrest made so far, police said.

The Revenue officials reached Bada Karonj village yesterday to hand over to a tribal possession of his land forcibly occupied by the Christian Mission. A local court has ordered restoration of the land to the tribal.

A local journalist Manish Kumar was also roughed up by the villagers. Besides Tahsildar J R Bhagat, Naib Tahsildar, Revenue Inspector and Patwari were rescued by a police team, led by Additional Superintendent of Police B S Dhruv.

UNI XC-SP 1459