Locals attack other Dist’s applicants during SSA interview in Phulbani

PHULBANI: The local youths lead by Kui Samaj Samanway Samiti (KSSS) of Phulbani town in Kandhamal district attacked the applicants of other districts and threatened not to attend the Sikshya Sahayak interview called by DPC office here on Tuesday.

The candidates from all over the State had applied for the post of Sikshya Sahayak in Kandhamal district. According to the notification, the candidates came to the DPC office at Phulbani to attend an interview following the verification of their documents, but the Kui Samaj people attacked the candidates before their verification is completed.

The candidates of different districts were beaten up by the Kui Samaj people near the DPC office. The attackers were chasing the candidates by shouting ‘outsiders go back’ and ‘you can not do job in Kandhamal’. The candidates were running here and there to save their life. Some candidates, including women and physically challenged candidates, got injury in the attack of the locals.

KSSS secretary Lambodar Kanhar said to the media persons here that due to entry of outside job seekers, the candidates of his district suffer a lot and remain jobless. That’s why, they protest, he added. “We will not give chance to others to enter into our district for job in any circumstance,” Kanhar said.

After the attack, the candidates rushed to the Collector’s office to meet the Collector. The Collector Bhupinder Singh Punia said the candidates of other districts need not to worry as they have all the lists of the candidates. “Some anti-social elements are there, but candidates don’t worry about the job,” Punia said.

Immediately police forces were deployed in and around the interview place. If timely action could have been taken by the district administration, such type of humiliated situation could be avoided, said the intellectual persons of Phulbani, adding, it is a black mark for Kandhamal district.