RAMGARH: A clash erupted between two groups of residents in Kodi village under Patratu block of Ramgarh district on Tuesday over the issue of illegal stone trading in the area. The stones are stolen from the railways and sold by unscrupulous traders.Hundreds of angry villagers, including women, demonstrated outside Barkakana police outpost against a section of villagers allegedly involved in illegal trade. They stopped many as 20 stone laden tractors which were crossing through the village and allegedly beat up the traders.One villager, Lakshman Munda, filed a written complaint with the police alleging that a section of villagers was involved in the illegal trade. Another villager, Pradeep Munda, also filed a counter complaint and blamed Lakhsman and a few others of abusing and beating them up."We have received complaints from two different groups of villagers. The issue is being investigated," Dilip Paswan, the officer in-charge of Barkakana police outpost, said.Sub-divisional officer (Ramgarh) Anant Kumar visited the spot and talked to both groups of villagers."A number of villagers picked up stones from a nearby railway construction site which was protested by other group of villagers. It's not an issue of illegal stone mining but stone theft from railway construction site. The Koderma-Ranchi rail route via Barkakana passes through Kodi village where the dispute between two group of villagers erupted on Tuesday morning," he added.

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