NH-39 Expansion Stirs Grievances; Residents Claim Unpaid Compensation

The National Highway Authority's effort to widen NH‑39 in Palamu district has ignited fresh tensions in the Chiyanki area. Officials arrived with heavy machinery to clear structures they said were occupying the road right‑of‑way.

According to villagers, homes and shops were being demolished without any compensation package being offered. Angered residents began pelting stones at the machines and the police who tried to secure the perimeter.

Police responded with a lathi charge, leading to injuries among the crowd and among two police constables. The injured parties were transported to Medini Ray Medical College and Hospital, where they remain under observation.

Despite an earlier prohibition order on construction activities, large numbers of locals assembled to voice their dissent, causing a temporary traffic jam on the highway. Additional security personnel were deployed to calm the situation.

The district administration says a comprehensive inquiry is in progress and assures the public that the area is now under control.