The Puri district administration officials today freed and took into possession 42 acres of government land encroached by Ranjana Gajbhiye, wife of Odisha cadre IPS officer and now suspended former SP of Kendrapara district Satish Gajbhiye.
The district administration had earlier served notice to Ranjana and two of her associates to vacate 42 acres of government land encroached by them in Gop area in Puri district. The state government had allowed them one month to vacate the encroachment.
Since Ranjana and her associates did not vacate the encroached land on their own within the stipulated period, the government got into action and freed the land of encroachment. While the land was measured on January 30, the eviction work was undertaken today.
Notably, the suspended IPS officer’s wife has 80-90 acres of land in Badakiapala and Sanakiapala mouza of Gop tehsil in Puri district which includes encroached government ponds, gocchar and anabadi land. Ranjana and her associates had allegedly undertaken fish farming on the said land.
It may be mentioned here that Gajbhiye was placed under suspension on August 13, six days after using excess force against agitating locals and BJP Kendrapara president near Sarathi ashram. Charges such as violation of human rights and police excess were leveled against him following the incident on August 7.
Prasanta Patnaik 
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