As per reports, over 5,000 Sarpanches (village heads) from various parts of Odisha engaged in a confrontation with the police on Monday (11 March) when they were prevented from marching towards Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. The Sarpanches allege that their authority has been diminished, and most government projects are being executed by block-level officers without their involvement.

United under the banner of Sarpanch Mahasangh, the Sarpanches had assembled in Bhubaneshwar to stage a protest demanding salary increases and greater authority for Gram Panchayats. They began a rally from Master Canteen and were en route to the CM’s residence when they were halted by police near Shishu Bhawan Chhaka, resulting in a clash. Subsequently, many Sarpanches were apprehended by the police.