Villagers of Thappur block roads protesting shift of panchayat office

RANIPET: Residents of Thappur village near Banavaram in Ranipet district staged a ‘road roko’ protesting the shifting of the panchayat office to another location, on Friday.

The villagers were agitated that panchayat officials planned to shift the panchayat office to Kovinthangal and hence blocked the road after impounding a government bus bound for Vellore.

After a tip, the Banavaram police sped to the scene and spoke with the protesters, who stated that they had already petitioned authorities to stop moving the panchayat office.

Residents were unhappy that the officials were moving the panchayat headquarters despite their appeal going unanswered.

The agitation was given up only after officials assured the agitators that their grievance would be passed on to top officials for expeditious action. Only until officials promised the agitators that their complaint would be passed on to top officials did the unrest end.